Requiem
by Cyanide-Princess
Summary: What would life have been like if Stephanie never stayed at Gordon's house alone that night? Stephanie has grown up straddling the magical and mortal worlds alone, plagued by visions of being shot in the head by Skulduggery Pleasant. She doesn't know him, and she doesn't want to. **Non-canon, some events from book series. Slow burn Valduggery.**
1. Chapter 1

**_Requiem: Chapter One..._**

**_Okay so originally this fic was gonna be set waaaay after the events of the current books and continue on with the current canon but I got sort of stuck with it. So instead I've decided to try a new angle for me (though not necessarily a new angle for Skuduggery fics). This is going to be my version of the series if Valkyrie and Skulduggery hadn't met when she was twelve. Valkyrie never made the decision to stay in Gordon's house overnight. I hope you all enjoy it!_**

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oO0Oo

Discovering magic had been a weird experience for Stephanie Edgley. When she was twelve her Uncle Gordon had died at his desk while writing his latest book. She loved her uncle. He was childish and enormously funny, but he had a habit of making decisions that only made sense to him. He'd left her his home and his money when he died, and it had overwhelmed her. It took a few years for her to get her head around owning a mansion as a teenager, but eventually she had wandered back to that house she'd loved so much as a kid, and she'd gone to his study. That was when she first discovered the Echo Stone, and inside it was her Uncle Gordon...sort of. She'd known then that it wasn't a special kind of technology like he tried to tell her. It was magic.

She learned that he'd been murdered. Agonising death was how it was described. She heard talk of a detective taking down the man responsible. Serpine, he'd been called. Stephanie had stayed away from it all, taking her time to learn magic in her uncle's study away from prying eyes. She was delighted when she discovered she had a capacity for it, but she was afraid of it too. It had gotten Gordon killed and it could get her killed as well. She thought often of the man that killed her uncle, and of the detective that avenged him.

She'd heard many tales of Skulduggery Pleasant. By all accounts he was witty, cunning and he wore nice suits. Gordon had been good friends with him and she remembered meeting him once, very briefly, at the reading of Gordon's will. He'd congratulated her gently on being left the house, and then he'd left. His voice had sounded like warm honey. She'd considered trying to find him and thank him for stopping her uncle's murderer, but then the vision happened and she vowed to avoid him.

"Am I interrupting your inner monologue?" The cheery voice broke through her thoughts as Andromeda White slid into the seat in front of her. They were in a coffee shop in Haggard and Stephanie had chosen a booth away from the other customers.

"No," she smiled back. "Hi An."

"What're you drinking?" Andromeda glanced down at her friend's cup, noticed the skin on top of the no longer hot beverage and wrinkled her nose. "Or not drinking, as the case may be. How long have you been sat here?"

"A few hours."

"On your own? Doing what?"

"Thinking."

"About what, Steph?"

"Taking a name."

"Same as always then?" Stephanie shrugged. The subject of taking a name had been something she'd deliberated over for many years. She knew very few mages and Andromeda was one of them. They only met because Andromeda's ability made her able to sense magical auras, and apparently she'd sensed a lot of magic in Stephanie. "It's about time you took one. You've been exposed for too many years." She lowered her voice. "If anybody discovered that you had more than one speciality they could use your name to manipulate you. I've told you this before."

"You know why I haven't chosen anything."

"I know, I know. Jordy's vision. Just because you haven't chosen a name doesn't mean it'll come true. It could come true because you _haven't_ chosen one. Also Jordy is a terrible Sensitive. His visions are almost never right."

"Almost is still too often. You saw what happened."

"I saw a lot of things but none of them were clear. You worry too much." Stephanie shuddered. She'd seen herself kneeling in front of a tall man with a revolver pointed at her head. She had no doubt who that man was. "You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"

"No," she said immediately.

"Liar. You always go pale when you think about him. I seriously doubt the great Skulduggery Pleasant is going to shoot you in the head. You don't even know him."

"That doesn't mean I won't meet him."

"You wouldn't even know it was him. He has a full body facade now. It's as good as a real face." Andromeda took in her friend's doubtful expression and rolled her eyes. "Steph, taking a name isn't gonna set you on a path of certain death. If anything it'll _protect_ you from it." She leaned forward, twirling a strand of pink hair around her fingers. "What have you been thinking of?"

"I don't know. I've hated most of the ones I've thought of."

"Like what?"

"Summer Sin. But I didn't like that one because it sounds cheesy."

"Yeah that one's a no from me."

"Ivy Chance?"

"You don't look like an Ivy to me."

"I thought that too. There is one name that sticks with me." Stephanie frowned, hoping Andromeda liked it as much as she did. "Valkyrie Cain."

"Valkyrie Cain..." She rolled the name around her tongue as she said it, dragging it out a little before a wide smile split her face. "It's _perfect_. Is that it then? Is that the one?"

"I...I think so. Valkyrie Cain. That's my taken name." As soon as she accepted it she _felt_ it. A little tweak in the back of her brain that suddenly shifted it from a possibility to a certainty. Her given name seemed to lose its signifigance in an instant.

"You know, it's really weird for a mage to choose a name _after_ the Surge."

"It's also weird for a mage to actively practice two disciplines while trying to stay out of the magical community."

"Touche." She clasped her hands on the table in front of her and opened her mouth to speak, before stopping and frowning. "There's another magical being nearby."

"Is it somebody you recognise?"

"No. Feels like a Vampire."

"Let's go." The girls rose from their seats and stepped out onto the street. Valkyrie followed her friend quietly as she ducked into the alleys behind the shops. She didn't like engaging other mages unless she absolutely had to, but recently Haggard had been subject to worrying attacks. Valkyrie's mother and younger sister had barely escaped whoever it was by running into a nearby shop. When Valkyrie went to investigate, the signs pointed to a Vampire, and she vowed she'd get rid of it for trying to hurt her family.

As they rounded a corner they heard a cry and set off at a run, working hard to stay silent. They came across a young woman, bruised and cowering on the ground as a man with dark hair swept back into a ponytail stood over her with his teeth bared. Definitely a Vampire.

"Hey ugly!" The Vampire snarled and grabbed the woman, dragging her close to him and whirling to face them. "Let her go," Valkyrie warned. She had the advantage of surprise. Very few people knew she was magically ambidextrous, and it worked in her favour when her opponent was stronger. She snapped her fingers, curling a flame into her palm to distract him as shadows gathered behind him. They slammed into his back and he stumbled and the woman was freed. Andromeda sprinted forwards and took her arm, guiding her away from danger as Valkyrie faced down the Vampire. He was injured, which meant he'd be slow. She could work with that.

"You little brat! You don't know what you're doing!"

"Seems to me like I'm stopping you infecting her like you infected all those other people. Making yourself an army, are you?"

"Not me," he shook his head, advancing a step. She held her ground, the fire still burning in her palm.

"Who then?"

"This town will find out soon enough." He took another step. Valkyrie stayed where she was. "For now I'll just content myself with ripping your throat out."

"I'd like to see you try." He leapt and she ducked, narrowly avoiding his swiping hands as he sailed over her head. She rolled and came up on her feet, sensing the air shift as he launched himself at her. His injuries made him sloppy. She spun and slammed a foot into his chest, knocking him back. He snarled angrily but she snapped her palm and sent him sailing into the nearest wall. As the dust cleared he shot towards her and they collided. She felt his shoulder connect with her torso and the air rushed out of her lungs as a sharp pain shot through her. She went down heavily and spots danced in front of her eyes as she tried to drag in a breath. She rolled before he could stamp on her face and slammed an elbow into his knee. It buckled and she got her feet underneath her, giving herself some room.

"Stop squirming and let me kill you."

"Not gonna happen," she answered as her lungs finally filled. She clenched her fist and sent a tendril of shadow out to smack him, but he dodged it and feinted left. She fell for it and he leapt and kicked her across the face. She saw stars and tasted blood as she staggered. She felt his hands on her throat and then the wall hit her back and he was squeezing. He was squeezing so hard. She slammed a knee into his stomach. A boot into his thigh. Her elbow into his forearm, once, twice, three times and still he wouldn't let go. Her vision began to dim at the edges and she could still taste blood. She couldn't summon a flame or control the shadows anymore because of the panic storming its way through her veins.

"I'm going to tear open your neck and let you bleed out right here," the Vampire hissed. "You really thought you could take me on? That you could get your little friend to save that girl and face me down alone?" She could hear her pulse pounding frantically in her ears.

"Whoever said she was alone?" That voice, she knew that voice. And then the Vampire was forced away from her and she was on her knees and air was heaving through her chest again. She turned her head as her vision cleared to see the Skeleton Detective pointing his gun at the Vampire. "Argent Bright, you're under arrest for attempted murder."

"You can't arrest me, you have no proof!"

"I think stopping you in the middle of threatening to murder someone is proof enough, don't you? Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is that I snap these cuffs onto your wrists and you follow me to the Sanctuary." He held up a pair of binding shackles.

"What's the hard way?"

"Your face hits the floor and then I cuff you and drag you to the Sanctuary myself. What'll it be?" The Vampire sized him up for a second. And then he lunged. Skulduggery Pleasant brought a club of air down on the back of Argent's head. His face hit the ground, his nose shattered and he groaned. "Hard way it is." The skeleton bent and snapped the shackles around the Vampire's wrists, hauling him to his feet. Even with his previous injuries and his shattered nose, he still struggled, trying hard to kick the detective's legs from beneath him. Skulduggery pistol whipped him and he crumpled in an unconscious heap. He brushed a speck of dust from his extraordinary suit, holstered his gun and straightened his hat. Valkyrie watched as he walked over to her and held out a gloved hand. "Sorry about that. I would've gotten here sooner but you know how the traffic is."

"You're Skulduggery Pleasant."

"I am." She took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. He tilted his head, surveying her with those empty eye sockets. "And you're Gordon Edgley's niece, aren't you?"

"Yes." Her aching throat hurt with every word, but she forced them out anyway. "Stephanie."

"I've seen you before."

"At my Uncle's will reading, yes."

"Yes but I mean I've _seen_ you. In a vision. I'm fairly certain I shoot you." The way he said it was so casual, so conversational. Almost like it was an interesting puzzle.

"You've seen it too?"

"I've seen you kneeling and I've seen myself point a gun at you but I haven't seen myself pull the trigger. Have you?" She shook her head, numbness spreading through her. "That's something at least. Do you think I have a reason to shoot you?"

"I hope not."

"I do too. Do you think you and your friend could accompany me to the Sanctuary? I'd like to take some witness statements from you both and I need to deposit this gentleman in a holding cell."

"Are you going to shoot me?"

"Heavens no. At least, not right now. I only shoot people that deserve it." She thought about it. She thought about it for a while longer. She didn't want to spend any more time with him than she had to for fear that it would make the vision come true, but she wanted to help catch the people responsible for the attacks in any way she could.

"Alright. I'll come with you."

"Valkyrie!" Andromeda's voice drew their attention. She stopped when she saw who was with her. "Holy shit."

"You said your name was Stephanie," Skulduggery said.

"It was until about fifteen minutes ago. I chose my taken name today. Valkyrie Cain."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Valkyrie Cain. If you and your friend could follow me, we'll head to the Sanctuary." Valkyrie followed on numb legs.

"What are you doing? What about the vision?" Andromeda hissed.

"He saw it too. He says he won't shoot me."

"Oh, well I guess trusting a complete stranger is alright then, is it?" She glanced over at the detective as he spoke softly into his phone. "What if he's dirty?"

"Forgive me for not introducing myself. Skulduggery Pleasant of the Arbiter Corps. Thank you for helping that woman escape. Is she safe?" The skeleton approached them and inclined his head politely as he greeted Andromeda.

"She is. She's in a cafe nearby with other people," she answered warily.

"Excellent."

"Are you going to shoot my friend?"

"Why is everyone asking me that today?"

"Mr Pleasant-"

"Skulduggery, please."

"Skulduggery, you have to understand that both of you have seen a vision of you shooting Valkyrie in the head."

"_Possibly_ shooting."

"I don't think the semantics matter much here," Andromeda answered, folding her arms across her chest.

"On the contrary, they matter a great deal. Visions of the future are always subjective. What is seen now may not be seen in a month. The future changes. The vision also does not show me actually shooting Valkyrie here. We don't understand the context or the events leading up to that day, therefore it is impossible to say for certain what will or will not happen, only what is _likely_ to happen."

"An, it's alright. It's just witness statements and then we can leave. I doubt I'm going to get shot in that time." Valkyrie put a hand on her friend's shoulder, relieved when the hostility left her eyes. As they turned to go two Cleavers appeared further back in the alley and apprehended the unconscious Vampire, hauling him away. "I thought Arbiters worked independently of Sanctuary law," Valkyrie asked the skeleton as she followed him out of the alley.

"We do, but from time to time they ask for our help." He loosened his tie and undid his top button, tapping his collar bones before they reached the city. Valkyrie watched as a face flowed over his skull. He refastened the button, straightened the tie and stepped into the street. Andromeda followed behind them, openly staring at him. Valkyrie studied the facade. An had been right; if she'd met him in the street while wearing it she never would have known it was him. They reached a sleek black car and Valkyrie sucked in a breath. A 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental. She could appreciate a beautiful car when she saw one.

"Where did you _get_ this?" she breathed. Skulduggery tilted his head, amused.

"I bought it."

"Oh dear, here comes the fangirl," Andromeda muttered.

"You _bought_ it? When? And how? These cars are hard to find. There were only like two hundred of them ever made."

"Two hundred and eight, actually. I bought it factory new." Somehow she felt him smile. "Where did you learn to love cars?"

"I'm not sure really. Over the last few years I developed an interest."

"Did your father spark your interest?"

"God no," Valkyrie snorted. "He can barely change a tyre." Skulduggery pressed the button and the car unlocked and Valkyrie felt a little thrill of excitement in her chest despite the situation.

"Will you calm down and get in the car already?" Andromeda shoved her into the passenger seat and climbed in the back.

"Watch the leather," Valkyrie and the skeleton said together.

"Well this is going to be a fun drive," An grumbled.

"What were you girls doing in the alley?" Skulduggery asked as he slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. The purr was music to Val's ears as they slid smoothly away from the curb and into the flow of traffic.

"He attacked my mum when she was bringing my sister home from school a few weeks ago."

"I see. And you wanted revenge?"

"I wanted to punch him in the face."

"Punching criminals is indeed fun. How did you know he was there?"

"I'm an Adept," Andromeda answered from the back seat. "I can sense magical auras."

"Also we were looking for him."

"It's dangerous to go looking for criminals." He turned to glance at her with piercing green eyes.

"That's literally your job," Val shot back.

"Yes but that's different."

"Why is it?"

"I'm far too skilled to be throttled against a wall. Also I don't have a throat." Valkyrie didn't know whether to laugh or be offended.

"Modest, aren't you?" Her lips twitched as she fought a smile. Despite the fear of being shot, she found his personality magnetising. She could grow to like him.

"I'm many things. Sophisticated is one of them. Stylish is another."

"Do you enjoy complimenting yourself?"

"Immensely." Valkyrie grinned, unable to help herself. She spent the rest of the journey switching between surveying the beautiful interior of the Bentley and trying to find chinks in the facade that showed it to be fake. She didn't find any. After a while they pulled down a road with pot holes that didn't jolt the car as it passed over them. Roarhaven City rose from the ground around them, thriving and huge. Valkyrie gasped as the High Sanctuary came into view. It could only be described as a palace. Skulduggery flashed his ID to the Cleavers at the gates and pulled into a parking garage. "Ladies, welcome to the High Sanctuary."

oO0Oo


	2. Chapter 2

**_Requiem: Chapter Two..._**

**_Thank you to anybody who has read this far. Please feel free to leave a review or favourite if you like the story so I know there's interest. No point continuing a story that nobody wants to read. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter :)_**

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oO0Oo

"I hate this city," Andromeda muttered from the back seat.

"Me too, but when your Sanctuary is blown up and there's no immediate alternative, you don't really get the luxury of being fussy about location," Skulduggery answered as he slid out of the driver's side. Valkyrie emerged after him, ignoring the dull ache that was starting in her bones. "It's much better now than it was. It used to be an awful little grey thing and the town was a mess."

"I heard about the destruction of the Sanctuary under the waxworks museum," her pink-haired friend continued, ignoring his comment on the First City of Magic. "Something called the Desolation Engine exploded, didn't it?"

"It did. My previous partner died that day." Skulduggery led them through the building, deactivating the facade as they entered. There was no need for him to hide his face in this city.

"How? Did you shoot him too?"

"_Andromeda_," Valkyrie hissed. "Stop it."

"He was caught in the blast," the skeleton answered, seeming unruffled. "I don't make a habit of shooting people for no reason."

"What was his name?" Valkyrie tried to keep her tone soft to make up for An's rudeness.

"Chance Vaunt. Thankfully it was painless."

"Wasn't he a Teleporter?" The suspicion in Andromeda's tone made Val groan inwardly. "Why didn't he just jump right out of there?"

"I'm not sure how much you know about Teleporters, but I'll point out that it was a high pressure situation and Teleporters struggle to use their talents when stressed if they're inexperienced. Unfortunately he spent very little time focussing on fitness training because he could usually Teleport places. That made him slow, which in turn made him dead," he answered coolly.

"Sure. And I suppose the security cameras weren't working at the time either?"

"They tend not to work when they're being blown up."

"Will you cut it out?" Valkyrie elbowed her friend angrily.

"It's quite alright. After the vision you've seen I understand your suspicions. I have undergone a full search by Sensitives and proven my innocence. I can get you the reports if it will help you to trust me. Once I've taken your statements you can go." He didn't look at them as he spoke, concentrating instead on where they were going.

"That would help," Andromeda answered, ignoring the glares she received from her companion.

"Alright. It'll take me a few minutes to find them. I'll put you both in an interview room first and bring them to you." They followed in silence after that. The Administrator approached as he strode through the halls.

"Arbiter Pleasant," she said respectfully.

"Administrator Cerise, good to see you."

"Who are your guests?"

"Valkyrie Cain and Andromeda. I didn't get your second name," he said, turning to her.

"Andromeda White," she supplied with a scowl.

"I brought them here to gather statements and to make sure our little Vampire friend was locked up for terrorising Haggard."

"You caught him then?" Cerise typed on a tablet as she spoke, her fingers moving furiously across the touch screen.

"I did. The Cleavers should be putting him in a holding cell as we speak. In the meantime I'd like to know if there's a room available to gather the statements." Cerise tapped on the tablet some more and then nodded.

"Interrogation room eight is free now. You should have use of the room for the next hour."

"Thank you." Skulduggery continued on, leading them through the maze of corridors. As they walked a bald man with a scarred head approached them.

"Skulduggery?"

"Elder Bespoke, hello."

"Don't call me that," the bald man said with a scowl. "You know I hate it. Who are your friends?"

"This is Ghastly Bespoke, Elder of the Roarhaven Sanctuary and an incredible tailor. Ghastly, this is Valkyrie Cain and Andromeda White. They stopped a Vampire from infecting a woman in Haggard." The Elder appraised them both for a moment before nodding and breaking into a warm smile. Despite the scars on his head and the ragged slash at his throat, he managed to look friendly.

"Nice to meet you." He shook their hands and Valkyrie raised her eyebrows at the strength of his grip. "I trust the Vampire was arrested?"

"He's in a holding cell now. I'm just taking witness statements."

"Very well. Come and see me when you can. China is driving me insane." Skulduggery chuckled and clasped the Elder's forearm.

"I will, don't worry." Ghastly nodded and excused himself, and the skeleton continued down the corridor and into a smaller room with a table and some chairs at either side. He gestured for the two of them to sit. "Would either of you like a drink?"

"No thank you," Andromeda said. Valkyrie declined as well, and the detective retreated to find the report Andromeda had asked for.

"You don't have to be rude you know. He's trying to help," she muttered.

"And he might also one day blow your brains out with his silly fancy gun. For all we know he could do it _today_."

"He won't."

"How do you know?"

"I don't. But we're in the High Sanctuary, surrounded by Cleavers and lots of people have seen us come in with him. I don't think he's gonna kill me with so many witnesses around, and if he _was_ going to shoot me he could have done it in the alley, or on the way here." She fixed An with a glare, folding her arms across her chest. "The least we could do is try not to provoke him."

"I guess you're right. I still don't like him." She rolled her eyes as Andromeda began sulking. Skulduggery returned a moment later and passed her the file. She scanned it with a frown and he waited patiently as she made her judgement. "Signed by the Elders. Alright, I believe you," she said eventually.

"So you're happy to give a statement?"

"I am."

"Excellent. I'll take yours first then. Valkyrie, would you mind stepping outside while I do this? The statements need to be impartial." She nodded and got to her feet, taking a seat in one of the plastic chairs in the corridor outside. She watched mages bustle past without looking at her and thought about how strange her situation was. A few weeks ago her biggest dilemma had been choosing her name. Today she'd been beaten up by a Vampire and come face to face with the person potentially fated to kill her. The weird thing was that she kind of liked him. He was funny. It was an odd feeling to like the person that might shoot you between the eyes. It unsettled her. She was still thinking about it when Andromeda emerged from the room with a frown on her face only a few minutes later.

"Everything okay?" Valkyrie asked.

"I guess so. He did exactly what he said he would. Took my statement and let me leave."

"Then why are you frowning?"

"He's said I can go home. He seems to think your statement will take longer, since you were the one actually fighting Argent." She clutched Val's arm suddenly. "Will you keep your phone on and promise me you'll call me when you get home?"

"Of course I can. Why are you so worried?"

"Well he told me he'd arrange for me to be taken back to Haggard and that he'd bring you back himself. You'd be alone with him."

"But if he was going to shoot me do you really think he'd tell you he was bringing me home? In an interrogation room with a security camera that can record everything he says?"

"No. I guess not." She deflated. "I'm just worried, that's all."

"I'll call you as soon as I'm home." Andromeda nodded and hugged her, and then the Administrator came around the corner right on cue and led her away. Valkyrie stood, took a deep breath, and entered the room. Skulduggery was writing on a legal pad. He looked up when she entered.

"Have a seat," he said. She sat. "I must say, I've met people that have taken an instant dislike to me, but never any so convinced I have nefarious intentions. Most people dislike me because I'm smarter than them." Her lips twitched as she fought a smile.

"An is just looking out for me. She was convinced the vision was incorrect until you showed up and told me you'd seen it too. She wants me to be safe."

"I assume she's insistent on you calling as soon as you return home in case I decide to kill you then?"

"She is."

"Sensible. I am a stranger, after all." He set the legal pad aside and laced his gloved fingers together on the tabletop. "Now then. I have a good idea of what happened between you and Argent, but I'd like you to write it down for me and sign it so that we have a record of it. After that we're going to visit the Infirmary to get you checked over, and then I'll take you home. Does that sound alright?"

"I can do that." He slid a report sheet and a pen across the table to her and waited patiently while she filled it in with as much detail as she could manage. When she was done she slid it back to him and he placed it inside a manila folder and set it to one side, turning his attention back to the legal pad.

"This might be off topic, and I won't be recording your answer, but how did you discover the existence of magic?"

"I found an Echo Stone in my uncle's study. I was smart enough to realise what was going on from there."

"Ah, I remember that. He used to use it as a writing aid. One Gordon was a handful but two in the same conversation? Even I couldn't keep up with that."

"You knew him well?"

"I like to think so. He was sick on my shoes once. After that I couldn't get rid of him."

"That sounds like him." She rubbed an awkward hand across the back of her neck. "Thank you, by the way."

"What for?"

"Killing the guy that killed him."

"Nefarian Serpine was the kind of criminal that couldn't be stopped by simply being arrested. I did what had to be done." The set of his shoulders changed, and she sensed there was more to the story than just avenging her uncle and doing his job.

"You seem tense. Did he do something to hurt you?"

"That would be a story for another time," he answered carefully. She nodded and let it drop. "How did you find out about your own magical ability?"

"The Uncle Gordon in the Echo Stone told me all about it, so I thought I'd give it a try and it turned out I could do it." She shrugged. "I met Andromeda a couple of years later when she sensed my aura."

"What made you choose elemental magic?"

"Gordon told me all about what elementals could do. Some of the stories were amazing, so I tried to produce a flame and it worked. I realise now that most of the stories he told me were probably about you."

"Most likely." He tilted his head and again she could feel his smile. "He liked to follow me around on my adventures and write about them."

"You mean his books are based on you too?"

"On my experiences, yes. And the experiences of friends. Of course the gruesome death was something he added himself."

"Wow. Sounds like you've had an interesting life."

"That's one word for it." He took his hat off and set it down on the table, leaning back in his chair. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Of course."

"You said your mother and sister were attacked. What made you so sure it was a Vampire?"

"Well my sister kept talking about his teeth. And my mother said he moved faster than anybody she'd ever seen. I went to where they were attacked and I found absolutely nothing. If it had been a mortal attack I would've expected _something._ Footprints in the mud or something. They were walking over a park when he attacked them and the ground was soft from the rain." She shrugged. "When they told me what he looked like and I found absolutely no trace of him I knew what he was." He took notes on the legal pad as she spoke.

"And when you were in the coffee shop were you looking for him?"

"No, I was just meeting Andromeda for coffee. She sensed him so we went to see who it was, and that's how we came across that woman."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"I mentioned the other attacks and how the missing women had turned up as Infected later. I asked if he was building an army and he said 'not me'. It sounded like there was an attack planned that would do widespread damage to Haggard." She leaned forward in her seat. "If that's what they're planning then you need to stop it."

"I certainly intend to try. I think that's enough questioning for now in any case. Come with me and we'll get you checked out at the Infirmary." He rose smoothly and put his hat back on, holding the door open for her as they left. She fell into step beside him, catching sight of her reflection in a window as they passed. Her lips were bloody and there were stark bruises on her neck. She touched her ribs where the Vampire's shoulder had connected with her and felt the sting of a break.

"I look awful."

"You look injured. You'll be right as rain once the good doctor is done with you." When they eventually reached the Infirmary a doctor in a white coat approached them.

"Detective Pleasant, what can I help you with this time?" She was pretty, with pale blonde hair and violet eyes.

"I have nothing for you to heal today, Doctor Raze. My companion here is the one that needs some attention." He gestured to Valkyrie and the doctor nodded and led them to a gurney, drawing the curtain around them.

"What happened?" She probed the bruises on Val's neck gently.

"She tried to apprehend a Vampire without back up." She might be wrong, but she thought the detective sounded impressed. Doctor Raze, however, definitely wasn't.

"A silly thing for anyone to do. So I can see very clearly that he throttled you. How else did he injure you?"

"He kicked me in the head. And he tackled me."

"And why didn't you stop him from doing that, detective?" The doctor was looking at him disapprovingly.

"I didn't get there in time," he answered honestly. "I wasn't expecting to find another person already trying to stop the Vampire I intended to arrest."

"Hmm." Her lips were pressed tightly together as she probed Valkyrie's teeth, checking for breaks or losses. Valkyrie jerked away with a gasp when her fingers found the cracked rib. "No missing or damaged teeth, no sign of major injuries. There is one broken rib on your right side and you'll have a sore throat for a day or two. I'll get something for the swelling and pain for now. I'll be back in a minute."

"I didn't know you'd cracked a rib. If you'd told me you were in pain we could've visited the Infirmary first."

"I'm alright, don't worry about it." He looked like he was about to answer, but the doctor returned and he seemed to think better of it.

"These should held with the pain," she said, handing Valkyrie a small bag of leaves. "And this will help with the bruising and swelling. Take a bath, drop some of this in it and by morning the bruises should fade. In the meantime I'll strap your ribs for now. There isn't much else I can do with them short of making you take a bath here."

"I'll wait outside for you," Skulduggery said, disappearing through the curtain. Valkyrie shrugged off her hoodie and her shirt, and the doctor made quick work of bandaging her torso.

"You want to be careful with that one," she said after a minute or two. "He's a good man and a brilliant detective, but he seems to just attract trouble. Being around him can be dangerous."

"I'm just a witness, don't worry. I don't think I'll be seeing him again."

"If I was paid every time somebody said they won't be seeing him again and ended up back here I'd be rich enough to quit working," she answered, then straightened up and stepped back. "All done. Go straight home, and no strenuous exercise for a few days alright?"

"Okay. Thanks doctor." Valkyrie shrugged her shirt and hoodie back on carefully and headed out to find the skeleton, pocketing the leaves and the weird yellow rock as she left.

"All sorted?" he asked when she found him. She nodded. "Alright then, let's get you back home." She followed him once again. He stayed silent until they reached his car and pulled out of the parking garage. "You're a lot like him. Gordon I mean."

"I am?"

"You have his sense of humour. And his nose for trouble."

"I guess you could say that," she replied, smiling a little. As they left Roarhaven he tapped his collar and the facade flowed back over his bones.

"You did well to find Argent without help, but the vigilante stuff needs to stop now. It could get dangerous for you if you continue and find yourself outmatched. It was a stroke of luck that I was there today."

"Thanks for saving my life," she said quietly.

"Not a problem. Just don't make a habit of getting into trouble, alright? I don't want that vision of yours to come true because you got involved in something you shouldn't and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Do you think it's likely that you'll shoot me?"

"At the moment I'd say it's an absolute certainty that I won't."

"And what about in the future?"

"I don't know you. I have absolutely no inclination or reason to shoot you, Valkyrie."

"Well alright then. I'm sorry Andromeda was rude to you."

"It's understandable. I can only imagine how unsettled she was to see me. Do you still live at the mansion?"

"I do for now." She looked out of the window and was surprised to see Haggard sprawling out around them.

"For now?"

"It's far too big for me. I don't know how Gordon lived there alone. I'm moving into an apartment next week."

"Are you keeping the house?"

"Absolutely. I can't get rid of it when it means so much to me. I just don't like living there because of how huge it is." He found the turning to Gordon's estate without trouble and pulled to a stop outside the elegant mansion a few minutes later.

"Thank you for answering my questions. If I need anything further I'll be in touch. And if you remember anything else here's my number. Call anytime." He took a card out of his pocket and passed it to her.

"I will."

"Of course, I'll understand if you want to liaise with somebody else, given the vision you've seen. If you'd prefer that then I can communicate by phone and somebody else can be sent to see you face to face. It'll be up to you."

"And if you don't need anything more from me?"

"Then I wish you good luck with your life, Valkyrie Cain. It was nice to meet you."

"It was nice to meet you too, Detective Pleasant." She slid out of the car as he leaned across to look at her.

"Stay out of trouble." She shut the door and watched as the sleek vehicle sliced through the dusk like a knife, her eyes on its tail lights until they disappeared.

oO0Oo


	3. Chapter 3

**_Requiem: Chapter Three..._**

**_Hopefully you're all enjoying reading as much as I'm enjoying writing this one. Any feedback is appreciated and I'll do my best to update when I can :)_**

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oO0Oo

"I'm alright. He brought me home and he left." Valkyrie listened to her friend sigh in relief on the other end of the phone as she walked through the front door of her home. She looked around at the huge hallway and the expansive staircase and wondered again how Gordon had lived here all alone for so long.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

"You were the one that didn't believe the vision at first. How come we swapped places all of a sudden?"

"Maybe because he actually _showed up_ and now you have direct contact with him?" She could practically hear An's eyebrows raise.

"Yeah but he seems nice enough. A little egotistical but not a psycho."

"You just met him. You don't _know_ what he's like, Val."

"The point is that I didn't get shot and I have no plans to contact him again. By rights we should never cross paths again. Anyway I'm sore and I'm hungry so I'm gonna eat and take a bath, okay? I'll talk to you tomorrow. Night An." Valkyrie pressed 'end call' before Andromeda could say anything else, locking the door behind her and heading straight for the fridge. She made herself a snack and leaned against the counter to eat it, still looking around at the big empty space of the kitchen. She missed living with her parents and Alice. She'd moved out at eighteen and now she was twenty two and still felt lonely. Her parents kept asking her why she hadn't got a dog yet.

She finished her sandwich and headed upstairs, popping two leaves in her mouth and chewing them to numb the pain of her aching ribs. They tasted disgusting but they did the trick. She sat on the edge of the expansive bath tub and watched it fill, breaking off a chunk of the porous yellow rock and dropping it into the water. It was similar to a bath bomb except it didn't smell nice.

Sinking into the water was wonderful. The heat alone worked wonders on her sore spots. She soaked a wash cloth and laid it over her face where the bruising from the Vampires boot mottled her skin, closing her eyes and relaxing back against the tub. She must have fallen asleep because when she came to attention dusk had turned to night and there was somebody downstairs. She listened intently, straining to hear over the pounding of her heart for further noise. There was the faintest creak of a floorboard somewhere near the kitchen.

There was an intruder in her house and she was naked and in the bath. She slipped out of the water as quickly as she could and tugged on her clothes, not caring that she was still wet. She crept to the door and peeked out, then dared to venture to the top of the staircase, keeping low to the ground. She waited, listening for the noises, looking for somebody walking around. And then she saw them. Three Infected searching the downstairs for her. She was injured and vastly outmatched.

She got back to the bathroom quickly and closed the door, sliding the lock home. The faint click sounded like a gun shot to her, and she held her breath, expecting the intruders to come rushing up the stairs. When they didn't she padded back to her hoodie on the floor and fished the phone out of her pocket. She couldn't call her parents because they'd be killed if they came here. The mortal police wouldn't fair much better. She couldn't call Andromeda because she was too far away and didn't have a car. She didn't know the number of any other mages. That left one option.

She keyed in the number and held the phone to her ear with shaking hands. She prayed he'd pick up. If he didn't she was going to die.

"Valkyrie, I didn't expect you to call so soon."

"I need your help, there are Infected in my house," she whispered quickly. She could hear the rising hysteria in her voice.

"I'm on my way." The Bentley started up in the background.

"Please hurry, Skulduggery. If they find me they'll kill me. I'm hiding in the bathroom."

"Stay where you are and stay quiet. I'll find you."

"Alright." She let the line go dead and crept back to the bathroom door, laying down to check the gap underneath for signs of anybody on the landing. Her ribs creaked in protest as they came into contact with the ground. When she found the landing empty she turned off the light and sat behind the door, pulling her knees up to her chest and praying to whatever gods there were that Skulduggery would find her before the Infected did. Injured as she was, she could deal with one of them, perhaps two at a push. But three? Not a chance. And she didn't know if there were more down there in the other rooms. She was hyper aware that one door and a flimsy lock would do nothing to keep them out if they found her there. She knew a couple of weak sigils that could be done but she had nothing to draw them with. Her makeup bag was in her bedroom and she wasn't in the habit of keeping a pen with her.

A noise on the stairs made her breath catch. They were close. She could just hear the faint whisper of their footsteps over the aged wooden floors, getting nearer every second. They were trying door handles as they walked, and she held her breath as the one to her door turned so slowly. She braced herself against it as the Infected behind rattled it gently and let go. She thought they might move on. Silence settled and she prayed her heart beat wasn't as loud as she thought it was.

And then somebody threw their body against the wood hard enough to make her teeth rattle, and all she could do was use the air to keep her and the door still. They slammed against it again and again and she felt the wood splinter and begin to give. If she sat there any longer she was dead. If she moved away from it she was dead. She was trapped, with nowhere to run and no hiding places to huddle in.

A strange sense of acceptance filled her, pushing away the terrified energy. She found it focussed and sharpened her thoughts. She smiled without humour. If she was going to die she wasn't going down easy. She stood slowly, using the air as best she could to stop the door from shattering until she was pressed against the far wall. She released the invisible barrier and the first Infected barrelled through the door and collided with the claw foot bathtub, unbalanced by the sudden lack of resistance and toppling into the water even as the second was stepping in. They were both women, dressed in dishevelled clothing and snarling. She could see the bites crusted with blood on their throats.

The second of the women lunged and Valkyrie ducked and swept her leg out, but she was too slow and they were so very quick. They weren't injured like the Argent had been and Valkyrie hadn't healed properly. When the Vampire slammed an arm into her chest she felt the creak and the splinter of her re-breaking rib in every nerve ending. She hissed and dropped to the ground, rolling away despite the protest in her bones. She ducked around the other intruder as they climbed out of the bath, dripping water and snarling. She sprinted away from them as fast as her legs would allow, skidding a little round the corners as she went. She was almost to the study and hope had begun to flare in her stomach when the third Infected slammed into her side. She'd forgotten about him. She felt another crack and a pop as two more ribs splintered and then the ground hit her back and and she bounced and rolled to a painful stop.

All she had to do was stay alive. Just stay alive until the detective could get there to help her. She forced her feet beneath her and dodged as the Infected swiped again. The other two women joined him and Valkyrie backed away slowly, watching them for any sudden movements. Her heart felt like it was trying to smash through whatever was left of her rib cage. The intruders simply watched her hungrily. She knew it wouldn't last, so when the woman on the left leapt forward in an explosive burst of anger she dodged left and spun, ducking behind her before lashing a kick between her shoulder blades. The Infected stumbled just once, righted herself, and all three of them descended on her at the same time. She barely had time to cover up as the barrage of elbows and knees rocked her body and bruised her arms. She curled in on herself to protect her torso, waiting for an opportunity to break free. She saw it when one of them sidestepped and a gap opened up in the wall of legs that kept kicking her.

Magic welled inside her, and she pressed a hand to the ground and shadows erupted from the wooden floor, throwing all three of them back with surprising force. She struggled to her feet and limped away, heading on towards the study. It had the heaviest door and a secret recess in the bookshelf that she could hide in if she could get to it. It would buy her precious time. Her body was screaming, new injuries protesting every time she took a step. She was bleeding from several cuts and her head throbbed. Blood flowed down her cheek from a cut on her temple. She was starting to get dizzy. She stumbled and fell as blackness crept into the edges of her vision and a pair of gloved hands appeared near her before her head hit the floor. Her heart leapt as the skeleton detective caught her gently.

"You came," she said softly.

"Of course I did, you asked for my help." His head snapped up and he raised his revolver and fired three quick shots. All three hit their mark and the Infected snarled as their arms and legs were pierced. He sat her gently against the wall and snapped his fingers, fire flaring up in his palm as he prepared to protect her. She watched as they advanced, baring their teeth in grimaces of fury and pain, and then just as suddenly as they came, their faces turned blank and they sprinted away. She could tell he wanted to pursue them, but he stood his ground and watched them leave, only letting the flames die when he was sure they were gone.

"You don't look so good," he said softly, holstering his revolver and crouching beside her.

"I feel great, never better," she groaned back. He chuckled softly.

"I'm sorry once again that I couldn't get here before you got hurt."

"You got here before I died, that's the important part. Don't be such a pessimist." She coughed as blood from her split gums trickled down her throat and her ribs cried out in agony as the movement stretched her lungs. "Ouch."

"Do you still have the things Doctor Raze gave you?"

"They're in the bathroom." She wrinkled her nose. "They interrupted my _bath._ In my _home_."

"It would appear that somebody has it in for you." He slipped his arms underneath her and lifted her carefully, surprisingly strong for a skeleton. "Unfortunately, somebody wants you dead. I'm willing to bet it's the same person that sent dear Argent after that woman."

"They sent somebody to kill me that quickly?" Her heart thundered in fear. "What if they go after my family?"

"I sent Cleavers to guard the house, they're safe and unaware."

"Thank you. How did you get the address?"

"Gordon told me it years ago."

"What if they'd moved?"

"Then the Cleavers would be guarding the wrong house, obviously." He set her down carefully beside the bath and slipped off his jacket and hat, hanging them on the hook behind the door before rolling his shirt sleeves up over the bones of his forearms and removing his gloves. Valkyrie found herself fascinated by the bones of his hands as he reached into the cold yellow water and pulled out the plug, letting it drain away.

"How did this happen?" She gestured at him with the arm she could move, trying to take the subject of conversation away from her impending doom.

"You tried to apprehend a Vampire that has friends."

"I meant you becoming a skeleton," she answered, shooting him a withering look. "Something like that doesn't just happen."

"It was a long time ago." He set the taps going again and perched on the edge of the bath, folding his arms across his chest as he watched her for a moment. "I had some dangerous enemies and I met a painful end." He spotted the healing items the doctor had given her by the sink and fished out a couple of leaves, handing them to her. She chewed them gratefully and sighed as the pain dulled enough to breathe easier. He gave her a towel to press against the open wound on her head and went back to perching on the edge of the tub.

"You mean they killed you?"

"Yes. And then I woke up like this."

"You just...woke up?"

"Yes. In a bag in a river. That was a strange experience if ever there was one."

"What did you do?"

"It happened during a war so I put myself back together and rejoined the fight."

"Wasn't that weird?"

"Very weird. My friends were more than surprised, I have to say." He shifted against the porcelain.

"Did you win the war?"

"Eventually. It was a long war, but we won and pushed Mevolent back in the end."

"Is he the guy that killed you?"

"No. I was killed by his General." His head tilted. "The same man that murdered your Uncle." Valkyrie's eyebrows shot up towards her hairline.

"Serpine?" The skeleton nodded. "Even after the war ended he was allowed to live? Were you angry?"

"Of course I was. But there was a truce struck between our side and his, and he managed to hide behind it until he thought the time was right. Eventually he went after the Sceptre of The Ancients and I killed him for it. He knew Gordon had something he needed to get the Sceptre which is why your uncle died."

"That's heavy," she said softly. "How old are you?"

"I was born on December thirty first in the year fifteen seventy four. I died on October thirty first in the year seventeen hundred."

"Wow. How long did you stay dead for?"

"Long enough for my body to be hung on a pike and burnt for all my comrades to see." His head dipped a little. "We were gaining ground until that happened."

"Could you feel it? Being dead?"

"I could. I could see our side losing the war."

"Andromeda told me about the war," Valkyrie says softly. "Some of it anyway. She said your were part of a team called the Dead Men?"

"I was. We were called that because we were sent on missions that should have killed us and yet we always came back alive. I suppose we got cocky. My death was the first event in a chain that turned the tide back in Mevolent's favour."

"Along with the rise of Lord Vile, right?" She saw his head lift to look at her.

"Yes. That was...unfortunate."

"Andromeda told me about him. She showed me history books written about him. He sounded terrifying."

"He killed without mercy." The skeleton's voice was quieter as he stood again to turn off the taps. She watched as he broke off another piece of the yellow rock and dropped it into the water. "Can you get into the bath or do you need my help?" Valkyrie tried to stand, but gave up when the pain from the many deep bruises and her aching bones threatened to make her pass out again.

"I need help."

"Do you mind getting your clothes wet?"

"They're already wet," she answered, gesturing at the the damp patches all over her shirt and jeans. She fished her phone out of her pocket and handed it to the skeleton. He put it by the sink before lifting her carefully and settling her in the water. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He sat on the edge of the tub again, turning his body so that he could look at her. "I don't think it's safe for you to be alone at the moment. And I especially don't think it's safe for you here."

"I can't go back to my parents. They're mortal, they don't know about magic and I can't endanger them." She tried to sit up in her panic. He leaned forward and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, guiding her back down.

"Be careful, you don't want to damage yourself any further." He let go. "And I wasn't planning on sending you to them. I think tonight it's best if you stay with me and then we'll find you somewhere safe. You said you had a new apartment?"

"I have the keys, I was just waiting for a good time to move. Next week seemed as good a time as any."

"It may be best if you move right away. An apartment is much easier to keep an eye on than a mansion like this one."

"I haven't sorted out the moving van."

"Don't worry about that. I'll pull some strings. You should be able to move in by tomorrow evening."

"What are you going to do? Teleport my furniture?" Her chuckle hurt but she couldn't help it.

"Yes, actually. That's exactly what I'm going to do." He pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time. "I'm going to make sure the house is clear, alright? If you need me, shout and I'll hear." She nodded and watched him leave the room, closing the door softly behind him. When he left she thought about the vision. She closed her eyes and saw again the way she knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face as she accepted her fate. She saw the barrell of the gun gleam as it touched her forehead. And she saw him standing over her. She knew for sure now that it was him. She recognised him just from the tilt of his head, though she could only see the back of him. A scarf hid any glimpse of his spine, but she knew. She'd have to see Jordy again and ask him if anything had changed.

She cleaned the blood from her skin gingerly, marvelling as the rock closed the cuts and the bruises began to recede. Her ribs still burned but it was duller than before. When she was able, she climbed out of the tub and drained the water again. She could smell the rock on her skin so she set the shower going, peeled off her sodden clothes and stepped under the hot spray, sighing gratefully. When she was shampooed and clean she stepped out and dried herself off, pulling her dark hair into a ponytail. A knock at the door sounded as she tugged on a thick dressing gown and fastened it shut.

"Come in."

"You look much better," the skeleton said as he stepped into the room. "The grounds are clear and the house is empty. All the same, it would be better if you didn't stay here tonight. We should get away from here as soon as we can."

"Where do you live?"

"I have a house on Cemetery Road."

"Fitting," she answered with raised eyebrows. She could sense his amusement in the set of his shoulders.

"I suppose it is. I bought it because it's the only house on the street. I can live there without fear of the neighbours seeing me with no skin." He gestured at the exposed bones of his forearm. "I don't technically need to sleep so I don't have a bed, but there are sofas and a bathroom for you to use. I even have a kettle."

"You can eat and drink?"

"No. But I have visitors to entertain. It's impolite not to offer a hot drink at the very least." She snorted. "Go find some clothes for the night. I'll grab a blanket and a pillow for you to sleep with and then we'll go. Have you eaten?" She nodded. "Excellent. The car is outside, I'll wait for you there." Valkyrie watched again as he turned to leave, grabbing his jacket, hat and gloves as he went.

oO0Oo


	4. Chapter 4

_**Requiem: Chapter Four...**_

_**Thank you again to the people reading, seeing the views go up is really encouraging! I have the next chapter up and ready to so here you go guys :)**_

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oO0Oo

Cemetery Road was a strange place. Skulduggery had been right about there being no houses on the street. It stood alone, looking out onto the adjoining graveyard in solemn silence. He pulled the car to a stop and got out, walking round it to hold her door open for her. Her ribs groaned as she got to her feet but the rock had done enough to let her move freely again. She followed quietly, blanket and pillow bundled up under her arm as he opened the door and stepped aside to let her in.

She passed a nice kitchen. It looked brand new, evidence of how little he used it. All the floors were hardwood and polished to a shine. The living room was to the right, with a floor to ceiling book shelf in the alcoves at either side of the chimney breast. The sofa was big and looked comfortable enough to get a good night's sleep on. There was an armchair in the corner with a lamp beside it. She noticed there was no TV in here.

"Would you like some tea?" She nodded and he disappeared into the kitchen as she set the blanket and pillow down and crossed to the shelves, curious to see what kind of books interested an almost four hundred and fifty year old skeleton. She found all sorts. History books, magical texts, even Gordon's book series was on those shelves. She was still inspecting them when he returned with a steaming mug in his gloved hand.

"Thank you," she said as she took it from him. The tea was hot, but sweet. "You have my uncle's books."

"He was a brilliant writer. He had an interesting perspective on my adventures." She nodded.

"He had an interesting perspective on everything. He used to insult people by accident and then laugh when they were surprised."

"He got me into many bar fights doing that." Skulduggery took a seat in the arm chair and Valkyrie saw a book on the table beside him. There was a bookmark in it. She glanced at the title and raised her eyebrows. It was Pride and Prejudice.

"You like romance novels?"

"I have an eclectic taste," he answered. "I appreciate the classics as much as any other book."

"I didn't have you pegged for a romance reader."

"I'm full of surprises."

"I'll say. The nick of time rescues are coming in handy lately."

"One of my many talents."

"You seem pleased with yourself."

"I am _exceedingly_ pleased with myself."

"I'm surprised there's enough room in that skull for your massive ego."

"There's no brain in there. I had to fill it with something." He tapped his knuckles against his head, and the hollow sound it made brought a smile to her lips.

"You're such a goon." He chuckled softly.

"You should sleep. You've had a long day."

"Yeah, getting beaten up twice was _not_ on my to do list." She cocked her head. "Then again, meeting my potential murderer was also not on that list."

"Speaking of shooting you, I was intending on visiting a Sensitive I've known for a while. I'd like to see the vision again. The more information I have, the more likely it is that I'll be able to prevent it. Would you like to come with me?"

"Is it really a good idea for us to be spending time together? Doesn't that increase the chance that you'll blow my brains out?"

"Perhaps. I can leave you with a friend if you'd prefer not to." She thought about it for a few minutes, taking a seat on the sofa as she did. She wanted to distance herself. She could feel herself getting sucked in, dragged towards the inevitable outcome of her death with every minute that passed in his company. And yet she couldn't bring herself to believe that he would willingly kill her. He'd already gone to the trouble of saving her life twice. Perhaps Skulduggery's Sensitive was more powerful than Jordy. Maybe they could see more. Maybe the vision would even change. If it didn't she could distance herself later.

"I'd like to come," she said eventually. "The Sensitive that showed me it isn't a very good one."

"Of course." He inclined his head. "You're awfully calm for somebody that's been attacked twice in one day and now sits in the same room as the man potentially fated to shoot her. I get the sense that you're stronger than you look."

"I don't look strong?"

"You look bruised." He sits forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the chair arms. "What I mean is that you seem well prepared. Have you been training with somebody other than Andromeda? She doesn't seem like much of a fighter." Oh, he was _clever._ Even Andromeda hadn't picked up on that. "Of course, you'd _have_ to train with somebody in order to harness the power of Necromancy."

"How did you know about that?"

"I saw you blast the Infected as I ran to you. When did you learn you could use both?"

"I did it by accident." She hesitated, unsure of whether to tell him more. But then she figured that since he was destined to get personal enough to shoot her between the eyes, he might as well know. "I was mugged when I was fifteen. A group of boys took my phone and tried to beat me up. I was too scared and too new to it to use elemental magic. They came to hit me and it just sort of...happened. The next thing I new they were all unconscious and I was running away."

"A natural affinity for Necromancy is a powerful thing. Who did you train with?"

"Solomon Wreath."

"Ah."

"You know him?"

"Of course I do. He's insufferable." She knew that if he had a face he'd be scowling. "No sense of humour."

"He is a bit of a fun sponge, now that you mention it."

"A fun sponge?"

"You know, sucks all the joy out of the room?"

"That sounds like him. How did he find you?"

"I found him. I might try to stay out of the magical community as much as I can, but I still have my own contacts here and there. He and I lost touch a year ago."

"Any reason why?"

"He...made an offer that I had to refuse." Skulduggery's head tilted curiously and Valkyrie's cheeks coloured.

"What offer?"

"He asked me out for dinner. I wasn't looking for a magical boyfriend," she shrugged. Skulduggery laughed properly for the first time, and the sound was like music. She marvelled again at how captivating his voice was. It made her wonder how magnetic he must have been before becoming a skeleton.

"I will take great delight in reminding him of that the next time I see him."

"You can't do that," she yelped, her face falling. The skeleton was still laughing.

"Oh don't worry, I'll save it for a special occasion. I won't be letting that particular piece of information slip until the moment is just right."

"You'd embarrass me for your own amusement?"

"Definitely."

"Jerk," she muttered. He chuckled again. She yawned widely and he got to his feet.

"I'll leave you to sleep for now. I won't be far away so call if you need me." He left the room and she marvelled at how silent his steps were before setting up her makeshift bed. The leather smelled nice underneath her, and the cushions were comfortable. It wasn't long before sleep found her.

oO0Oo

_She was running. She was running away from...something. No,** someone**. She could feel the heavy thuds of her feet against the ground but they were soundless. It felt like her eardrums had burst. Nothing reached her, not the sound of her heaving breath or the wind tearing at her face. She was isolated from her surroundings by a roiling grey fog that rose all around her, blocking off the sky. _

_She dodged as an object materialised in her path, continuing her laboured sprinting until her lungs felt like they might burst. She had to stop. She couldn't keep going. She stumbled, her knees striking the floor roughly as she fell. She sucked in gulps of air, panting into the ground. She was kneeling on tarmac, the same kind she might find on a road. _

_Fear clenched around her heart as the fog parted and a figure walked towards her. His steps were silent. She looked up from the smart shoes, her eyes roving over the expensive suit until they reached gleaming white skull beneath the wide-rimmed hat. He reached out and touched her cheek tenderly with gloved fingers._

_"I'm so sorry, Valkyrie," he said softly. His voice came to her even over the strange silence that blocked her ears. His words were laced with pain and regret. His hand trembled against her skin._

_"Please, you don't have to do this. I know you, Skul. I know you don't want this." She reached up to catch his hand, and he knelt down in front of her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. "I don't want to die."_

_"I have no choice." A figure moved in the shadows to their right. Tall and dark, impossible to make out any discernible features through that horrible fog. It moved and Skulduggery pulled away. Hot tears tracked their way down her face as he looked over at that figure. He drew his gun and pressed the barrell so gently against her forehead. "I'm so sorry."_

_"I'm sorry too." Her voice quaked with fear, the words distorting as they escaped from between her quivering lips._

_"I wish things could be different. I wish..." The shadow moved again and he stopped speaking. Skulduggery thumbed back the hammer and squeezed the trigger._

oO0Oo

The vision faded with the steam before Valkyrie could see herself die. She was glad, she didn't want to see that. The metal grille on the floor and the coals came into view again, dragging her back to reality. Sound returned to normal. Skulduggery's gaze was trained on her but she couldn't tell what his reaction was. The vision was so different to what Jordy had shown her. His had been a quick glimpse of the moment from a perspective behind the skeleton's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I couldn't see more." Sacrament Ballad stood slowly as he spoke, dark hair falling into his eyes. "My mother was gifted with a much stronger Sight than I.

"That's quite alright. You've shown us much more than we expected," the detective said. "And you are just as gifted as Cassandra was."

"If I see any more I'll contact you."

"Thank you, Sacrament." Skulduggery adjusted his hat and turned to leave. Valkyrie followed on numb legs. In the vision they'd seemed so close, like they knew each other well. She remembered his hand on her cheek, the gentle hug before he'd pulled away. She couldn't imagine being that way with him as she followed him up the stairs and out of the basement. They were practically strangers.

"I think we should stay away from one another," she blurted as they left the shack and headed back to the car. "The vision made us seem like we knew one another really well. I don't think it's a good idea to risk that happening."

"I understand." He didn't say anything else as they climbed into the Bentley and pulled away from Cassandra Pharos's former home. Sacrament watched from the doorway as they left, and she kept her eyes on him in the rear view mirror until she couldn't see him anymore.

"I think we should communicate only when we have to."

"Alright." He tapped his collar bones, the facade flowing over his skull as he turned his head to glance at her. She was surprised to see a slight smile on his face. "Of course, that would require you to actually stay out of trouble this time."

"I didn't ask the Infected to try and kill me," she retorted, smiling as well. The vision weighed heavy in her mind. How could somebody be so tender towards her and then shoot her in cold blood? It didn't make sense.

"I'll take you to your apartment."

"It's already ready?" She was surprised. Last night she'd stayed on his sofa because the mansion wasn't safe. It was barely one in the afternoon and her furniture had been moved into the apartment?

"Teleporters work fast." He hesitated. "I won't be able to keep you safe anymore. It would seem at the moment that I am the biggest danger to you. Whatever led to the events in the vision seemed like it might be personal."

"We were friends. _Close_ friends." She shivered. "How could you shoot someone you care about?"

"Normally I wouldn't," he answered through tight lips. She backtracked quickly, realising how her question must have sounded.

"I didn't mean that I think you would, I was more wondering what I do to make it happen." He relaxed a little. "I can't imagine hurting anyone enough to make them kill me. It didn't seem like you wanted to do it either."

"I think we can avoid all of it by avoiding one another," he answered eventually. "I don't think allowing ourselves to become friendly with one another is a good idea either. That being said, I don't want you to die. How would you feel about a roommate?"

"A...roommate?"

"Somebody to stay in the apartment with you. I have a good friend who's willing to look out for you. It would mean you're protected without having to contact me. If I'm needed I can speak to her instead."

"That would be good, I guess. Weird to live with someone but worth it if it means I don't die."

"Excellent. She's waiting for you there now." They spent the rest of the drive in silence, and Valkyrie got the sense that the skeleton was trying to draw away from her. She was glad that he agreed about keeping his distance. But all the same, she still felt a pang of sadness. He was interesting enough that she _wanted_ to get to know him.

They pulled up outside the apartment and Skulduggery handed her the keys back. The expression on his facade was neutral as he opened the door for her. She got out and he followed her inside and up the stairs. She stepped through the front door to her new home to see a blonde woman lounging on the sofa. She jumped up and held out a hand as they entered.

"Hi there, roomie."

"Valkyrie, this is Tanith Low. She's agreed to protect you until all this blows over."

"Thank you," Valkyrie answered.

"No problem." Tanith had a London accent, and her blonde hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders. She was clad in tight brown leather and Valkyrie got the sense that she had a right hook hard enough to knock off somebody's head. "This place is nicer than my actual home," she chuckled.

"Right then, I'll leave you." Skulduggery's tone was bright as he smiled. He touched Valkyrie's shoulder. "Remember what I said. Stay safe."

"I will. And thanks again for saving my life."

"My pleasure." He tipped his hat to her, flashing one last charming smile, and then he was gone. Valkyrie shut the door, feeling that weird disappointment settle in her gut again. She should be happy he was gone. It meant she was less likely to get shot.

"He has that effect on people," Tanith said casually. She was back on the sofa.

"What effect?" Valkyrie turned to her new friend with a frown.

"Making people want to be around him. It's hard not to like him once you get past the ego." She grinned. "Anyway, enough about him. Since we're gonna be living together we might as well get to know each other. Come sit down." Valkyrie did, looking around the apartment as she did so. Gordon's furniture strangely seemed to fit there. The expensive sofas dominated the space, and her other possessions complemented them, arranged artfully around the room. "You like how I decorated?"

"I love it. It feels like home." And it did. She was happy to be there and not in that empty mansion. "It gets lonely when you're on your own with so much space."

"I bet. Skulduggery said you bought this place because you didn't like living in there anymore."

"I love the mansion but it never felt like mine. I still think of it as Uncle Gordon's house. At least the money he left let me buy this place. I'll never want for anything."

"Doesn't it get boring?"

"What?

"Having all that money. Not needing a job."

"I had a job." Valkyrie smiled. "I worked in a school until the Infected started showing up and attacked my mum. I quit to spend time trying to find out what was happening."

"Brave of you to ditch everything and dive into supernatural crime solving when you've been actively avoiding other mages and seen visions of your death." She was grinning. "It's no wonder you and Skulduggery found each other. In another life you would probably have made a great Arbiter. You two would've been unstoppable."

"Perhaps." Val shrugged. "Not going to happen now though is it?"

"I can't believe you've seen him shoot you. Was it weird?" The blonde woman leaned forward in her seat, tucking her legs up beneath her. Val considered not saying anything, but then she decided to tell Tanith the truth. She was there to protect her, after all.

"The first time I saw it I knew it was him holding the gun even though I couldn't see his face. I was surprised because Uncle Gordon had always said he was a good man, and everything I heard about him backed that up. But I was fully prepared for him to be dirty or something."

"Nah, Skulduggery has way too much pride to be a corrupted Arbiter," she snorted.

"That's what made Sacrament's vision so weird. It seemed like we were _friends_. He even hugged me. And then he started to say something, thought better of it and shot me." She shrugged. "It's weird to see yourself being so personal towards somebody you barely know."

"I'll bet. Skulduggery doesn't hug _anyone_." Tanith chewed her lip, her brow furrowing. "Something tells me it's gonna be harder to keep you two apart than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"The future is weird, Val. You can try to do something to change it and that very action might set you on the course that leads you to that future. Or you can do nothing to change it and then it never happens. It's just a feeling I have."

"You feel like me getting shot is inevitable?"

"I didn't say that." She shook her head and brightened suddenly. "Let's talk about something else. Tell me about yourself."

"There's not much to tell really. I was a normal kid until Gordon died and left me everything. In fact I was still normal for a few years after that. I didn't actually visit the house until I was fifteen. I loved my uncle and it was hard to go there and not have him there. His ego could fill the whole place, you know? And he was funny."

"I met him a few times," Tanith said, nodding. "He was fun."

"He was. It took a while to get over losing him, but when I did finally go to the house I went to his study. I was just looking around the place and somehow I discovered the hidden space he had for the Echo Stone. Before I knew what was happening I was looking at my uncle again. He told me about magic so I decided to try it and it worked. After that I started learning and I discovered early on that I had a..." She thought for a second. "Skulduggery called it a natural aptitude for Necromancy. I asked Gordon about it and he put me onto Solomon Wreath."

"Now _there's_ a cheerful person," Tanith said with a wry smile. Valkyrie chuckled.

"He taught me how to control it for a few years." She left out the part where he asked her out and made it awkward. "In that time I met my friend Andromeda. She sensed my aura and sat with me before I knew what was happening. We've been friends since. She introduced me to Jordy who immediately told me he saw me die, and that was that."

"When did you move into the mansion?"

"When I was eighteen. I experienced the Surge and found out I could still practice elementalism and Necromancy. Gordon convinced me to move into the mansion to keep my family safe, so I did."

"Ambidextrous mages are rare. The only other I've heard of was Lord Vile, and even that was just a rumour. I can see why Gordon thought they might be safer if you moved out. I'm surprised you've stayed under the radar for so long."

"I knew when Gordon warned me that making myself known put them at risk. So my only contact with the magical world was the Echo Stone, my two friends and Solomon. I was happy to stay out of it until the Infected started showing up. Andromeda kept talking about it and I kept saying I wasn't interested and then my mum and sister were almost snatched. They ran into a shop to save themselves and the attacker just...disappeared."

"And that's when you turned vigilante on his ass?"

"Pretty much," Valkyrie grinned. "And I'm sure you know the rest."

"I do."

"What about you?"

"Me? Well, I'm an Adept. You could say my ability is dexterity. I can walk on ceilings."

"You can? That's so cool." She stood up and jumped, and Valkyrie watched with wide eyes as she did an impossible flip in the air and landed on the ceiling.

"It's useful in a fight." She flipped again and landed on her feet, tucking herself back onto the sofa. "Who taught you? Skulduggery says you held your own pretty well."

"Mostly online videos. Gordon had a gym in the mansion so I've been able to workout regularly, and I attended a self defence class but nothing major."

"He's asked me to train you up. You up for it?"

"Definitely. I have Vampires and Infected out to kill me, I'll take all the help I can get."

"Awesome. I think I'm gonna like you." The blonde grinned again and Valkyrie couldn't help smiling back. "We'll have to train at the Sanctuary. Can't have mortals seeing us kicking the crap out of one another our way," she winked.

"Won't I run into Skulduggery there?"

"Nah, I'll call him when we're there so he knows to stay away. He's easy enough to get hold of."

"Crap, I left my phone at the house," Valkyrie muttered, realising it was still on the sink in the bathroom. "Andromeda will go mental if I don't call her today."

"Use mine. Do you know the number?" Val nodded. Tanith passed her the mobile and she punched the digits in and waitied.

"Finally!" An's tone was exasperated. "I've called you like _seven times_. Where are you?"

"I'm in my apartment."

"Your apartment? I thought you weren't moving yet?"

"I had to move it forward." Val hesitated. "I was attacked by Infected at the mansion. Skulduggery thought it best if I didn't stay there anymore."

"What was he doing there?" Her tone was sharp.

"I had to call him or they were going to kill me, An. He was the only one that could get there in time."

"What about me?"

"You don't even drive! I'd have been killed before you even got half way."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. Avoiding me." She decided not to mention the new vision they'd seen when visiting Sacrament. "He doesn't want to shoot me anymore than I want to be shot."

"Good. So are you staying at the apartment alone?"

"Actually no. I have a roommate until all this blows over. She's called Tanith."

"Wait a minute..." Andromeda's tone changed to incredulity. "You don't mean Tanith Low?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"The girlfriend of Elder Bespoke? The God Killer? _That_ Tanith?" Valkyrie shot a look at the blonde woman, who simply shrugged and smiled.

"Yeah, that Tanith."

"Oh my _God_! Her and Skulduggery took down the Grotesquery together! She stopped Erskine Ravel from killing Elder Bespoke!" Andromeda was launching into full on fangirl mode. Valkyrie held the phone away from her ear slightly as she began to squeal.

"You sound insane and she can hear you right now."

"I am not ashamed of being impressed by someone. I feel much better about your safety now."

"I'm glad you do."

"Just make sure you call me often okay? And we'll go for coffee again. And maybe you could bring Tanith."

"Sure, maybe. Bye An."

"Bye!" The line went dead and Valkyrie stared at the phone for a moment.

"So Skulduggery didn't tell me I'd be living with the girlfriend of an Elder," she said slowly. Tanith shrugged.

"Just think of it as being even safer."

"Did you really kill the Grotesquery?"

"Technically Skulduggery killed it. I stabbed it a lot though. It poisoned me so I had a score to settle." Her words were casual but Val could see the pride in her eyes.

"And that scar on Elder Bespoke's neck, that was from when you saved him?"

"Have you heard of Ravel?"

"Yeah. He betrayed the Sanctuary didn't he?"

"He did. He betrayed all of us and he cut Ghastly's throat. If I hadn't found him he'd be dead right now. He almost _did_ die." She brightened fractionally. "Naturally Ghastly fell in love with me."

"Naturally," Valkyrie answered with a grin.

oO0Oo


	5. Chapter 5

**_Requiem: Chapter Five..._**

oO0Oo

Several days went by without drama and Valkyrie found Tanith to be enormous fun. She had a wicked sense of humour and an easy smile. It put her at ease in a sense she didn't expect. The idea of a roommate made her uncomfortable, but she soon found that she enjoyed the company of her new friend. She managed to avoid Skulduggery, though he called Tanith regularly with updates on the case. Valkyrie's phone was returned to her, presumably by him, and Andromeda insisted on visiting to meet Tanith. The blonde woman smiled and answered An's quick fire questions as best she could. Valkyrie had sat and giggled the whole time.

She was standing in the living room of the mansion as she thought of it. Tanith had agreed to come with her but had chosen to stay outside and keep an eye out for anybody returning to harm her. The sigils that had been placed on the doors and windows were still active which meant nobody unwelcome had broken in since Valkyrie left. Satisfied that she'd be safe inside on her own, Tanith had disappeared around the back of the house. It was strange to be back there alone again.

She ascended the stairs slowly, compelled by the urge to go to the study. She'd done the same walk so many times, even after the Echo Stone stopped working and she no longer saw Gordon. It had been like losing him all over again. She didn't know why it happened. One day the stone just seemed to lose power. After that the mansion became the loneliest place in her life. She pushed the study door open and yelped in surprise when she saw somebody standing in the room.

"Ah. Hello again." Skulduggery Pleasant turned to face her. He was holding the stone.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was searching the house to see if I might find a clue as to who the Infected were, but I had no luck. Now I'm trying to find out why the Echo Stone doesn't work. What are _you_ doing here?"

"I came to collect some of my things. I guess Tanith forgot to tell you."

"It seems she did."

"Do you think you know what's wrong with the stone?"

"The cradle was the problem, the stone seems fine. In theory a cradle can power an Echo Stone indefinitely but I've always questioned that. The magic inside a cradle is sustained by the sigils carved on its outside. If the sigils become damaged or they expire then the cradle stops working. Cradle sigils are designed to last for many years, but there's no way to tell how old the cradle is. If the theory is correct then recarving the expired ones should fix it." He turned to the desk and Valkyrie saw the cradle on its top, having been removed from its secret room. He placed the stone back in its place, cocking his head to the side when nothing happened. She watched in fascination as he picked up something that looked like a pen but ended in a sharp scalpel blade. He traced an existing sigil, carving it ever so slightly deeper into the surface. As she looked she noticed other symbols had gone through the same delicate treatment. He must have been there for _hours._

"Wow," she breathed as the stone flared blue. "You did it!"

"Excellent. The stone itself will need to charge, and that can take anything up to a year depending on the personality inside. Once it charges we should have Gordon back with us." The lump in Valkyrie's throat took her by surprise.

"What made you decide to do this now?" Her voice cracked.

"You moved out. I'll admit the vision played a large part in keeping me away. As much as I missed Gordon, I knew he would prefer you to stay alive. I saw a chance to try what I've learned from China while you weren't here." He waved his hand at her. "And yet here you are." Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "Are you alright? You look like you might cry."

"I might." He was talking as though he'd done something as simple as returning a missing purse, with no idea how much it truly meant to her. She hadn't known a cradle could break, let alone that it could be fixed. Before her brain could catch up, her feet carried her across the room and she threw herself at him, burying her face in his shoulder. "_Thank you_." He froze, and then his arms came around her gently as he hugged her back.

"You're welcome," he said softly. He held her for a moment longer before stepping back and putting a hand on her shoulder. "I should go. We're supposed to be avoiding one another."

"Wait," she said as he turned to leave. He stopped and looked back at her. "Did you really not find anything in the house?"

"Not a thing. They didn't even break in. I believe either the Vampire that sent them, or one of the Infected themselves, is an Adept capable of unlocking doors like Tanith." He sighed, though Valkyrie wasn't sure how since he had no lungs. "Unfortunately that's as far as I'm getting. There are no links between the Infected. It seems they were just there at an ideal time to be bitten. They're a mix of mages and mortals and people are still disappearing even with Argent Bright being detained. My only certainty right now is that you are most definitely still at risk."

"You know more than I managed to figure out. I thought all the Infected were mortal."

"It's my job to know. You did well enough to find out what you did."

"Tanith told me that in another life I'd have made a good Arbiter," she smiled. Skulduggery's head tilted again, but she wasn't sure if he was smiling or if it was something else. It was hard to tell when he didn't have a face.

"I think so too."

"I _thought_ I heard voices," Tanith said as she poked her head around the door. "Sorry I didn't call ahead, I forgot." She smiled sheepishly.

"It's alright, I don't have the urge to commit an atrocity at the moment so I think we'll be fine." His tone was amused again.

"What were you doing in here anyway?"

"He fixed the cradle for Gordon's Echo Stone," Valkyrie answered.

"No way, really? That's great," Tanith grinned. She glanced between them. "We should probably get your stuff and go Val."

"Okay, give me a minute. I'll meet you outside." Tanith hesitated, and then nodded and left them alone again.

"You know, one would usually try to _avoid_ their killer. Yet you keep putting yourself into situations where you're alone with me." He folded his arms across his chest, head cocked at an angle as he leaned against the large desk.

"In the last week you've saved my life twice and restored power to my uncle's Echo Stone. That's a lot of effort to go to for somebody you want to kill." She hesitated, almsot unwilling to voice her opinion in case it was a silly one. "I've been thinking about it a lot over the last few days and I think in the vision you're being manipulated."

"What brought you to that conclusion?"

"Well, when you hugged me that weird shadow in the background moved and you pulled away. When you tried to speak it moved again and you shut up and then shot me. Not only do I get the impression that it's _really difficult_ to shut you up, I also don't think you wanted to let go of me." She frowned. "There was more to it than you just wanting to kill me. You were shaking like you were in pain." He stayed quiet for several minutes, appraising her with his empty eye sockets.

"Interesting," he said eventually. "It seems you've considered an angle that failed to cross my mind."

"Is it possible to be manipulated by magic?"

"I know of a couple of Neoterics that can do it, yes. But the question that remains is _why_ I would be forced to shoot you. And of course the possibility is still there for you or I to take a turn towards less savoury tendencies. I could suddenly want to shoot you. You could suddenly want to do things worthy of getting you shot."

"But it's another thing to look out for, right?"

"It is indeed. Although if you're correct you may already be in danger whether you avoid me or not."

"Why?"

"I spoke with Sacrament yesterday. He saw the vision again. He still couldn't see the figure in the mist but the surroundings were clearer. He said nothing else changed."

"If it's still the same then what's the issue?"

"Clearer visions mean the time of the event is in the near future. He couldn't be certain but he suggested it could occur within the next few weeks. It also means that our current efforts have made absolutely no difference to that future. That leads me to wonder if the vision and the Infected are linked." His words made her stomach twist.

"Linked how?" He paused, working through his thoughts slowly before giving them a voice.

"It's entirely possible that the Vampire in control of this is also the same person manipulating me, if that's what is actually happening in the vision. If that _is_ the case then that Vampire is already aware that I have arrested Argent, and that you helped me to do so." His head tilts. "It could be an act of revenge against the two of us for harming one of their kind." The puzzle pieces clicked into place one by one as he spoke, and she could sense him forming an action plan as he mulled it over. "I'm going to look into the Sanctuary information on the Vampire population in this area and on Neoterics with that ability. Hopefully I'll find a link."

"It's a start, right?"

"Yes. I think to be safe we should still limit our contact, but..."

"But?"

"Perhaps bumping into each other by mistake isn't the worst thing that could happen." He straightened up and activated his facade. "I'll head to Roarhaven now and update you on whatever I find."

"And I'll try not to commit treason so you don't shoot me next time I see you." He arched an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips. Valkyrie was impressed by the sparkling green eyes and the faint five o'clock shadow framing the chiseled jaw of his face. She could see sandy blonde hair poking out from beneath his hat, but as always the high cheekbones reminded her that it was him and not a stranger.

"You're staring at me," he said, cocking his head.

"I like this face. It suits you."

"Of course you like my face. I'm dashing as a skeleton so I imagine having skin makes me positively _irresistible."_ He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Moron. I meant it suits your whole...look. You know, the suit, the hat, the pocket watch. It just seems to fit."

"I've never actually settled on a face," he mused, still smiling.

"What about your old face?"

"A lot has happened since I died. I'm not that person anymore." He shrugged. "It wouldn't feel right to wear it again."

"I think this one is definitely more you anyway. It's the first one to catch my eye at least." His grin broadened. "I should go before Tanith comes back up here and drags me outside. See you around, Skulduggery Pleasant."

"Until next time, Valkyrie Cain," he answered, tipping his hat to her again. She ducked out of the room and gathered a bag of clothes and a couple of books before heading downstairs. She found Tanith sitting on the counter tapping on her phone.

"Finally," she muttered. "I was beginning to think you were never coming down. Let's go before we cross paths with Skulduggery and you get side tracked again." She took Valkyrie by the arm and led her to the sleek black motorbike outside. She tugged a helmet on as her roommate revved the engine. A cloud of dust and pebbles kicked up behind them as they sped off down the drive, and Val clung on as tightly as she could without suffocating her new friend. They dropped her things off at the apartment and then Tanith suggested they go to the Sanctuary to train.

"You need to keep up to it," she said. "Working out is fine but you can't waste energy in a fight for your life. _Especially_ if Skulduggery is the one pointing a gun at you."

"I know, I just know that the Sanctuary is where he's headed right now."

"We can avoid him, I'll remember to call this time. Besides, he's rarely in the training area. He doesn't have muscles to train and he's got four hundred years of fighting experience."

"Alright, you've convinced me." Valkyrie grinned and jumped back on the bike, clinging to Tanith all the way to the Sanctuary. She didn't even need to show her ID at the gate thanks to her relationship with Ghastly.

"Hey Skulduggery." Tanith spoke into her phone as they walked through the palace-like building. "We're at the Sanctuary but we'll be sticking to the gym." She paused as she waited for him to answer. "Sure thing." She ended the call and smiled. "He told me to tell you to go for my legs." Valkyrie chuckled.

"I don't know whether he's trying to help or trying to get me kicked in the face."

"Probably both. He's funny like that." They reached a changing area and Tanith took the bag from Valkyrie's shoulder, pulling their sport wear out. They changed quickly and walked out into a large room with punch bags lining one wall, various pieces of equipment and treadmills down the other and a wide space in the middle for sparring. Tanith stepped out into the space and raised her fists. "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough," she taunted.

Tanith's sheer speed was unexpected. Every punch Valkyrie threw was blocked, every kick was deflected and she spun and ducked and twisted out of every hold. Valkyrie was panting and sweating before she'd managed to land a single hit, but she managed to block more than half of Tanith's strikes. She found that her roommate was skilled at goading her into making the right decisions, and as her body began to respond to her opponent she got faster and smarter.

Valkyrie's back hit the ground for a third time and she grunted and got to her feet immediately. Tanith lunged for her and Valkyrie remembered Skulduggery's tip. She waited until Tanith was close and then she ducked and swept her legs from beneath her. The blonde woman landed on her back with a surprised 'oof' and Valkyrie pinned her.

"Damn that skeleton," she muttered, but she was grinning. "That was fast, well done Val."

"I suppose he can be helpful sometimes." She held out a hand, helping her friend to her feet.

"To you maybe," Tanith snorted. She stretched, cracking her knuckles over her head. The muscles of her arms flexed and Valkyrie touched her aching jaw. She'd experienced Tanith's right hook first hand.

"Who taught you how to punch like that?" she asked.

"Ghastly. He likes to say his mother was a tailor and his father was a boxer, but it was the other way around."

"You almost hit hard enough to take off my head."

"I know, it's a Bespoke specialty. There's a rumour that Ghastly's mum actually _did_ it once." She grinned. "You didn't think he got those muscles from sewing did you?"

"Obviously not. Do you mind if we take a break? I'm starting to ache." Her newly-healed ribs were still tender and beginning to protest.

"Sure, we could go get coffee if you like?"

"Sounds good." Valkyrie hesitated. "Do you mind if we invite Andromeda? You know how much she likes you."

"It's always good to get an ego boost once in a while. Sure," Tanith smirked. Val chuckled and rolled her shoulders to loosen them. "You know, for somebody who's practically self-taught you're a good sparring partner. I'm surprised at how fast you learn."

"The potential for life-threatening situations is a good motivator," she shrugged.

"You can say that again."

oO0Oo

Andromeda wouldn't stop bouncing her knee. Her pink hair was piled in a messy bun on the top of her head and she was shaking so much that it was starting to come loose. They were back in Val's favourite coffee shop in a booth towards the back, and Tanith sat opposite them. She leaned against the pleather seat with an easy smile on her face, watching Andromeda's excited grin.

"Sit still, would you? You're going to spill my coffee," Valkyrie grumbled.

"I'm just excited. It's not every day you get to have coffee with a living legend."

"You weren't this happy to see Skulduggery."

"Would _you_ be happy to see the guy that wants to shoot your best friend?"

"He doesn't _want_ to shoot her, the vision just suggests that it's _possible,_" Tanith interjected. "He's a good guy once you get past the ego."

"Is it possible to get past an ego that size?" Val asked. Tanith chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"Probably not, no." That drew a giggle from all three of them. "But seriously, and if either of you tell him this I will kill you both, he's a nice guy. There's nobody I'd rather save the world with."

"You say it so casually and yet it's still so _cool_." An's grin was so wide it looked like it might actually split her cheeks.

"God, you're such a dork," Valkyrie muttered, nudging her. An shot a scowl at her before turning back to Tanith.

"What was it like going up against China Sorrows?" She leaned forward eagerly, wrapping her hands tightly around her iced coffee.

"Irritating," Tanith answered. "She's not the best fighter but those symbols of hers pack a punch and she knows how to use them. She almost killed me."

"Why did you fight China?" Valkyrie frowned. China was an Elder in the Roarhaven Sanctuary and Skulduggery had mentioned she was kind enough to teach him something about sigils when he was fixing the cradle.

"She made herself 'Supreme Mage'," the blonde answered, making air quotes and pulling a disgusted face. "She tried to manipulate the council so that she'd have complete control. She's always been ambitious, and unfortunately it makes her ruthless. We confronted her about it when the City Guard started acting out against mortals that knew about us. It wasn't the usual fist fighting we're used to but it was an intense political row that took _months_ to sort out. We gathered enough evidence to topple the whole 'High Sanctuary' and 'Supreme Mage' crap. She got angry and tried to kill us. She actually sent _assassins_ after us." Tanith wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"How did you get out of that one?"

"We had a big fight and she was gonna kill me and I was gonna kill her and then Skulduggery came up with a compromise." She frowned, obviously not happy with the solution. "We had more proof that she was bad news for the city and we planned to destroy her reputation. He was worried that if we did that she'd continue to come after us. And if she didn't then the Church of the Faceless Ones would."

"There's a religion for the Faceless Ones?" Valkyrie felt her face go blank with surprise.

"Yeah, they're all a bunch of whackos. She legitimised the religion while she was Supreme Mage. There was a whole thing about it. Anyway, we were fairly certain that they'd take revenge on us for her if she couldn't take it herself. So Skulduggery asked her to disband the City Guard and reinstate the Cleavers and Sanctuary Detectives as law enforcement, and in turn we wouldn't release what we knew so that she could stay on as an Elder."

"And she agreed?"

"She did. She even let Skulduggery have some say over it as an Arbiter. She fell in line beside the other two Elders and dropped the stupid titles in exchange for retaining some of her power. It's a much fairer system and the mortals are happier because of it." Tanith glowered. "I still would've been happier to see her rot in the Goal, but without her to undo the damage she did we'd have had no hope. Somebody just as bad would have stepped into the chair of Supreme Mage and we'd be no better off."

"The detective said that Roarhaven used to be a crappy little town and the sanctuary used to be a little grey building. I've always avoided Roarhaven because I hate it. It seemed to spring up out of nowhere and suddenly there was this huge palace and the city was massive. What happened?" Andromeda didn't take her eyes off Tanith as she spoke.

"Well that's hard to explain. The palace and part of the city are from another dimension that runs alongside our own. In that dimension Lord Vile never disappeared and Mevolent won the war. A man called Silas Nadir was an Adept with a natural ability to Shunt back and forth between dimensions. He managed to shunt the alternate version of the city here somehow and the two combined."

"That's insane," Valkyrie muttered. "An entire city? Where is he now?"

"Silas? No idea. And I don't know who gave him the idea to do it but China was certainly pleased with her new palace." Tanith rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. "I'm just glad she isn't all powerful anymore. Having two other Elders to balance things out helps a lot."

"Who's the third Elder?" Valkyrie asked. Andromeda glanced at her like she couldn't believe she'd heard the question, but kept her mouth shut.

"Now that's the interesting bit," Tanith grinned. "Do you know of a man named Dexter Vex?"

"He was one of the Dead Men right?"

"He was. Now he's an Elder in the Irish Sanctuary. Skulduggery insisted that if China were allowed to stay in power she should have two people with unshakeable morals beside her. They were the people agreed upon. It took a while to convince Vex but since then he's risen to the challenge."

"He's so attractive," Andromeda murmured, misty eyed. "I'd love to meet him."

"Good luck with that. He prefers a more hands on role in life so he's the one that travels to the other Sanctuaries around the world. He's rarely here and when he is it's for business." Valkyrie's phone buzzed in her pocket, making her jump.

"Hello?"

"Steph? It's mum."

"Oh, hey mum. What's up?"

"Can you babysit for me tonight? Your father booked a table at a restaurant and told me it was next week but it turns out he booked the wrong date. We can cancel if it's too short notice." Her mother's voice was filled with barely concealed hope. Valkyrie couldn't help her smile.

"Sure, I can do that. No problem."

"Thank you sweetheart. Drop by this afternoon and then either you can stay with her or she can stay at yours. How's the apartment by the way? I'm sorry I haven't had chance to come look at it yet."

"Don't worry about it. It's great. I have a cool roommate too."

"A roommate?"

"Yeah, I decided I didn't like living alone and she was looking for somewhere in Haggard."

"Is she nice?" Valkyrie glanced at Tanith, who wiggled her eyebrows.

"She's great," she answered, fighting a grin. "I'll come by in an hour or so."

"Can't wait to see you, bye sweetie." The line went dead and Valkyrie slipped the phone back into her pocket.

"Did you just sign us up for babysitting duties?"

"Only for one night. My parents are going out to dinner and my sister is too young to be home alone."

"Seems fair. I have to insist on babysitting at the apartment though. I can protect you both much more easily from there thanks to the sigils around it." She drained her cup and folded her arms across her chest.

"That's alright. We can take my car though. I can't put Alice on a bike."

oO0Oo


	6. Chapter 6

_**Requiem: Chapter Six...**_

_**Thank you to Kaz for the lovely review, it's so nice to have my first one and for it to be from someone who loved my other Skulduggery Pleasant fics so many years ago!**_

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"Stefnee!" Alice squealed and leapt at her older sister, giggling as she landed in Valkyrie's arms and was swung towards the ceiling.

"Hey pipsqueak," Val giggled. "Did you miss me?"

"Nope," Alice answered, flashing a gap in her teeth as she grinned. "Who's that?"

"This is my friend Tanith. She lives in my new apartment with me."

"You have pretty hair," Alice said.

"Thanks. So do you," Tanith answered.

"Steph? Is that you?" Melissa's voice floated through the hall from upstairs. "I'm just getting ready, I'll be down in a minute."

"No worries." Valkyrie carried her wriggling sister into the living room to find her father sitting there in most of a suit. "Uh dad, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Hi Steph. No, I made a list." He proudly showed her a piece of paper with the the items of his outfit written on it. "And I've ticked off my list."

"Are you _sure_ you have everything?" Tanith snickered behind her. Desmond frowned and looked down at himself, and then realisation dawned on him and he frowned.

"Oh, my pants. I could've sworn I put them on." He got up from the chair and pottered off up the stairs in search of trousers.

"Wow. Your dad seems...interesting."

"He's the most forgetful man on this planet. If he hadn't married my mum I don't know what he'd be doing." She dumped Alice on the sofa, grinning when the little girl giggled and bounced on the cushions.

"Can I have a glass of milk?"

"Sure kiddo, wait here."

"Would you like to see me dance?" Alice asked Tanith as Valkyrie went back to the kitchen. She knew Alice would dance whether she got an answer or not. She grinned as she pulled a beaker from the cupboard and opened up the frige. Her face fell when she saw the empty milk carton, so she reached for the apple juice instead.

"Here pipsqueak. There's no milk." She passed the small girl the breaker, watching warily for any liquid sloshing over the edges.

"Damn lazy cows," Alice said brightly. Valkyrie snorted.

"Am I missing something?" Tanith asked.

"It's something my parents say. Alice stop dancing and drink your juice. There'll be plenty of time for dancing at my house."

"Your sister sure is cute."

"I'm _adorable,"_ she replied, flashing the gap in her teeth again. "Mum tells me all the time."

"Sorry about that," Melissa answered as she walked into the room. She looked nice in a knee length blue dress and her hair all done up. Desmond was right behind her and wearing pants. "Hi sweetheart." She folded her eldest daughter into a flower-scented hug for a moment. "Alice is all set. Are we alright to go?"

"Sure, go enjoy your evening. I'll bring Alice home in the morning."

"Thank you."

"Make sure you bring my favourite daughter home safe," Desmond said.

"You're not supposed to have favourites, dad."

"But you were my favourite child for eighteen years," he answered.

"I was your _only_ child for eighteen years."

"It still counts. Anyway, let's go Mel. I can't remember if the reservation was for six or seven o'clock." Melissa groaned as she followed her husband out to their car. Valkyrie waved them off and shut the door behind them.

"Alright, pipsqueak. Go grab your overnight bag and we'll head out." Alice finished her juice and ran upstairs, returning with a brightly coloured wheelie case a few minutes later.

"I'm ready!" she trilled. Tanith chuckled, watching as the little girl bounced out of the door and up to Valkyrie's car. When she was settled in her booster seat they set off to the apartment. Alice hummed quietly the whole way there. When they arrived Tanith went in ahead of them to deactivate the sigils on the door. "That looks like the sofa from the big house," Alice said as she caught sight of the living room.

"It _is_ the sofa from the big house. I brought it with me."

"But how did you carry it?" She squinted at the furniture and Valkyrie chuckled. Tanith's phone buzzed, interrupting them.

"Hello? Oh, hey Skulduggery. Uh huh. Yeah we're at the apartment." She glanced at Valkyrie quickly and frowned. "You're meant to be keeping your distance. Alright, _alright._ Jeez. Yeah we'll see you soon. Wear the facade when you come in." She sighed. "You'll see when you get here." She ended the call with a perplexed look on her face. "He's coming here now. He says he has something he wants you to read, whatever that means."

"He must have some new information on the case."

"Whatever it is, the pair of you seem less bothered about keeping apart than I am. Why is that?"

"It's difficult to explain in front of little ears," Valkyrie answered, glancing at her little sister as she spread her toys out on the living room floor.

"Try." She could tell Tanith wasn't going to drop it.

"Fine," she muttered, feeling her shoulders sag. "We think what..._happens..._might not exactly be voluntary on Skulduggery's part. I thought about it and everything about him screamed that he was doing something he didn't want to."

"How?"

"Well he's shaking for one. Like he's hurt."

"Who's hurt?" Alice piped up.

"Nobody pipsqueak. You play with your toys for a while and then we'll eat okay?" The little girl nodded and went back to her dolls. "Whatever is happening, it doesn't seem to be either of us causing it. There's a shape, maybe a person, in the background that seems to be in control."

"Is that what he's been looking into?"

"Yeah. He was checking to see if there was any information on somebody that could do that, and to see if there was a link between that and the case here in Haggard."

"Ah, I see. Still doesn't explain why you two are so eager to be around one another."

"Staying apart hasn't made a difference to what happens. We think it became too late to avoid the moment we met in the alley. He thinks that somebody might be looking for retribution against the two of us because we bumped into Argent."

"_Oh_," she breathed. "Okay, that makes sense."

"Yeah. So basically all staying away from him is doing is inconveniencing him when he's trying to investigate the two cases alongside one another."

"But if you two stay away from each other then surely you'd never come to a point where the...incident...can happen, right?"

"And if I'm right and somebody else is in control, whoever it is already has it in for us both and nothing would stop them from marching him over here against his will."

"How do you know that isn't what's happening now?" Valkyrie swallowed uncomfortably.

"I don't." The thought hadn't dawned on her that he could be manipulated at any point. Would she even know if he was? She could feel the panic rising and she fought to calm down. She was on a road in the vision, not in her apartment. She was alone. And they seemed much closer then than they currently were. She hadn't been allowed the time to get to know him well enough for a friendship to form. She took a breath and squashed the fear down deep. It wasn't happening yet. She had nothing to be scared of yet.

"Well if anything happens bundle Alice into a bedroom to play and I'll take it from there," Tanith answered with confidence. It made Valkyrie feel a little better.

"I can do that." Tanith nodded and sat herself on the sofa closest to the door. Valkyrie crouched beside her sister to play with her until he arrived, making sure she was close enough to grab her if things went wrong. A short while later there was a soft knock on the door and a familiar face with green eyes and sandy hair appeared. Valkyrie was surprised to see Skulduggery had kept the one she'd mentioned in the study.

"Hey Skul," Tanith waved.

"Tanith," he greeted her.

"_Stephanie_ has her sister for the night." She stressed the given name and Skulduggery took the hint.

"Hello again, Stephanie." He entered the room and crouched down in front of Alice. She looked up at him and smiled widely.

"Hallo. I like your hat mister," she said.

"Thank you. I like your dolls. What's your name?" His smile was charming and his tone gentle as he spoke to the smaller girl.

"I'm Alice. Would you like to play dolls with me?" He chuckled and sat down beside her. Tanith watched with raised eyebrows. Valkyrie felt a smile tugging at her mouth. Skulduggery reached into his jacket and pulled out a manila folder, passing it to her before picking up one of the dolls.

"In there is information on potential leads. I have a good idea which one it is but I wanted your thoughts," he said before turning his attention back to her sister. "What's this one called?"

"Strawberry. She likes to make cakes," Alice explained. Valkyrie watched them play for a moment before deciding that it was definitely safe to be around him. She opened the folder and found three pieces of paper. Two of them had mug shots attached. The other had a grainy CCTV image. She read the first sheet, which contained a profile for a man named Azzedine Smoke. He had short hair and a braided goatee. His eyes were steel grey and his face was lightly lined, giving him the appearance of somebody approaching middle age. His profile was mostly empty, but there were a few lines on his ability. He could corrupt others through touch and was last seen somewhere in California. There was no mention on how long it would last or if he had to be in constant contact to maintain control, but it was a start.

The second sheet held a picture of a woman with red lips and blonde hair in a pixie cut. Her name was Raven Wilde and she was seventy three years old, though like all mages she still appeared young. She was listed as currently serving time in Coldheart Prison which left her an unlikely suspect unless she'd escaped, but Valkyrie was glad to see he'd included every possibility. Her corruptive ability came from a song. If a person heard her singing they were under her spell for several hours.

The last sheet held the least information. The CCTV image showed a distorted picture of a retreating figure with broad shoulders and dark clothing. He was looking over his shoulder and even in the image she could see the glint of his eyes, though she couldn't tell what colour they were because the picture was black and white. There was no information other than a name and a very brief description of his ability. In fact all it said was the word 'corruption' and that was it. Her stomach lurched as she looked at the creepy image. The name on the page was Requiem Jones.

"I'm pretty sure it's the third guy, but it could be the first one as well," she said.

"One of the Sanctuary Detectives is on their way to have a chat with Azzedine as we speak. We found him in Dublin," he said softly, not taking his eyes off Alice as she showed him all the different shoes her dolls had. She piled them into his hands one by one as she went through them.

"How likely is it to be him?"

"Not very. I've run into him before. We'll talk about it in detail later."

"It's not appropriate for little ears," Tanith said from the sofa, mimicking Valkyrie's earlier phrasing with a dark expression.

"Alright. Well Alice needs to eat and she needs a bath, and then she usually watches a movie before bed when she stays with me," Valkyrie said. "Can you keep your head screwed on until then?" She shot him a sideways glance and he caught her meaning, tilting his head in a gesture that was become familiar.

"My head can stay screwed on for several days," he responded, arching an eyebrow. Valkyrie was relieved; the last thing they needed was the facade to fail and Alice to come face to face with a living skeleton.

"My mum says if my dad's head wasn't screwed on he'd lose it," the little girl said brightly, drawing an amused chuckle from the detective.

"I'd better get your tea started. What do you want to eat, pipsqueak?" Valkyrie asked.

"Turkey dinosaurs," she said immediately.

"Alright, but you'd better eat your vegetables."

"If I do can I watch the film with the elephant in the circus? The one where he can fly? I brought it with me."

"Sure you can, but only if you eat your peas." Valkyrie ducked into the kitchen to throw some food in the oven. She could hear Alice telling Skulduggery how the elephant used its ears to fly in the film, and his velvety voice responding as he asked questions. He sounded genuinely curious. "You're making babysitting super easy for me," she remarked as she re-entered the living room and tucked herself onto one of the sofas.

"It's the least I can do, considering the circumstances." He looked down at the growing pile of toys in his hands with a bemused expression.

"Which is your favourite doll, mister?" Alice asked sweetly.

"This one, I think." He picked up a red-haired fairy in a purple dress.

"She's called Daisy." Alice looked up at him. "She has green eyes like you. What's your name?"

"Skulduggery."

"That's a weird name," she giggled. "I like Doug better." The skeleton detective blinked and Valkyrie snorted.

"...Doug?"

"Yup."

"I think Doug is a great name too," Tanith cut in, grinning at him. He looked between the three girls for a moment before sagging.

"Alright, Doug it is," he grumbled.

"Want to see me dance?" She got up and started twirling before he could answer. He used her distraction to shoot a withering glare at Tanith, which made Valkyrie laugh again. He glanced at her, but continued playing patiently with Alice until her food was ready. Valkyrie watched the interaction curiously. The way he acted was so natural, and she found herself wondering if he had children of his own. She got to her feet and sorted Alice's dinner, still pondering the idea. She made the decision to ask him later.

"Pipsqueak, come get your food."

"Can I eat with Doug?" she asked. Valkyrie grinned.

"Sure, you can eat with _Doug_." Skulduggery sighed and got to his feet as Alice grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the dining table.

"I don't mind babysitting, but you owe me for the Doug thing," he muttered as he walked past her, quiet enough that Alice couldn't hear.

"Let's name my dinosaurs!" She took his attention away again, pulling him to one of the chairs. Valkyrie hopped up to sit on the counter as Tanith appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" She pushed her blonde hair back over her shoulder as she spoke.

"I need to bath Alice, we'll have no choice but to sit through the movie and then once she's in bed we could order pizza and discuss what we know," Val suggested.

"Pizza sounds good, but no pineapple on it okay? I don't care what anybody says, that is something that does _not_ belong with cheese and tomato." She wrinkled her nose. They continued chatting amicably while Alice ate, and then Valkyrie ran her a bath.

"Can I bring my dolls?"

"No, you'll ruin their hair," Valkyrie said as Alice hopped into the tub. "Doug will look after them for you, and you can play with your special bath toys."

"I like him. He has a nice face," she said.

"You think so?"

"I like his eyes. They're like Daisy's. Green is my favourite." She lapsed into silence, playing with her toys as Valkyrie shampooed her hair and scrubbed her clean. She giggled as Valkyrie wrapped her in a fluffy towel and scooped her out of the bath, swinging her round.

"You smell nice now. You stunk before," she teased.

"I didn't stink! I had a bath _yesterday_," Alice protested. She tugged on her pink pyjamas and let her sister dry her hair before bounding out of the bathroom. Valkyrie followed the lavender-scented whirlwind into the living room where she was dragging the DVD out of her bag. Tanith chuckled and slipped it into the player for her. Skulduggery was sat on the sofa now, having carefully extricated himself from the pile of toys he'd been left with. Tanith dropped onto the other and stretched out her long legs, so Val took the empty seat beside him. Alice dragged a blanket out of her little case.

"How much do you _have_ in there? You're only staying for tonight," Val muttered.

"My toys and my clothes and my blanket and the elephant film," she answered innocently before climbing onto the sofa between them. Valkyrie watched with raised eyebrows as she dumped herself on Skulduggery's lap and stuck her thumb in her mouth, pulling the blanket up to her chin. The detective blinked in surprise as she grabbed his gloved fingers with the hand that wasn't stuck in her mouth and clutched it like a teddy, snuggling into him.

"Looks like somebody made a friend," Tanith remarked. He smiled softly and settled back against the cushions as Alice let out a contented sigh.

"It seems I have." He sat patiently through the movie while the small child drifted off in his lap, glancing down when her grip on his hand finally slackened. Her cheeks were rosy and her long lashes rested on them as she slept, fluttering gently with the movement of her eyes as they chased her dreams. Without a word, he stood so carefully, lifting her with him. She stirred, but didn't wake.

"Her room is the furthest down the hall," Valkyrie said. "Want me to take her?"

"I think I can manage a sleeping six year old," he said as he disappeared. He came back a minute later without her and retook his seat as Valkyrie switched the movie off. Tanith sat up and stretched, immediately alert as Skulduggery pulled out the folder again and handed it to her. She skimmed the pages silently before frowning.

"These are your suspects?"

"They are for now. There may be other Neoterics with the ability, these are just the ones we know of," he explained.

"Well it can't be Raven because she's in prison. And I doubt Smoke would be in league with Vampires to take over somewhere as small as Haggard. He hates them and he has bigger ambitions," she said, tucking blonde curls behind her ears. "Which leaves this Requiem guy. Who we don't even have a clear image of. It's _got_ to be him. We're never lucky enough to go into anything with all the information."

"How tall is Smoke?" Valkyrie asked her.

"About five and a half feet, why?"

"Then it definitely can't be him, unless he's recently had a growth spurt. The figure in the vision was taller than you, Skulduggery."

"So we agree that Requiem is our best lead?" The detective looked between the two of them as they nodded. "That gives us a starting point. The next question is why he's in league with the Vampires, and what he could gain from taking control of Haggard."

"It could just be a power trip," Tanith shrugged. "Maybe he wants a little pocket of the world to rule on his own."

"Why use the Vampires for that? They have their own turf without needing to take Haggard," Valkyrie put in.

"There must be something here that he wants. I've got a feeling he has a bigger motive than just infecting people. Whatever it is must be important."

"What if he wants to hurt us for more than just revenge?" Valkyrie asked, the idea just dawning on her. "What if we find out what he's looking for and that's why he makes you shoot me?"

"Then it would seem we have another problem on our hands." Skulduggery tapped his chin thoughtfully. "The only thing that strikes me is the Caves."

"The Caves?" Val echoed.

"The Caves of the Void," Tanith answered. "They used to house the Sceptre of the Ancients and they're underneath Gordon's house."

"You mean I've lived there for four years and Gordon never told me about them?"

"They're exceedingly dangerous," Skulduggery explained. "They're filled with horrific creatures that feed on magic. It's a miracle Gordon ever managed to seal the Sceptre in them and escape. It's why the mansion was built there."

"How did he get out?"

"Were you not listening? I said it was a miracle. Which means that I rescued him." Tanith snorted as Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "Of course, at the time I didn't know he had the Sceptre. I thought he was just being an idiot."

"Could the Sceptre be what Requiem wants?"

"Not likely," Skulduggery answered. "The Sceptre was destroyed by a Faceless One." His expression tightened and Tanith looked away quickly.

"What?" The detective didn't answer, and Valkyrie frowned as his hands curled into fists in his lap. "_What_?"

"It was...a tough time for Skulduggery," Tanith said quietly. "Probably a story better told another day." Valkyrie looked over at him and saw his jaw was clenched. She nodded slowly, distressed by the sight.

"Alright. So if he doesn't want the Sceptre and the Caves are sealed off, what else could he want?"

"No idea. We'd have to do some more digging. Maybe Gordon's study will have a useful book or something," Tanith shrugged.

"That could be a good place to start," Skulduggery said. His brows were still knitted together but his voice was even and smooth as he spoke. Valkyrie watched his fingers relax as he lifted his head. "Gordon has books that even China couldn't find."

"Alright, so tomorrow Val and I can go over to the study and you can try Argent again to see if he's willing to talk yet."

"I doubt he'll have more to say, but perhaps one of the Infected we've managed to heal will be willing to talk. I'll see what I can find," the detective agreed. Tanith's phone rang again and she answered with a smile.

"Hey Ghastly. Really?" Her eyes lit up, but then dimmed as she bit her lip, disappointment clear on her face. "I don't think I can. I'm on protection detail." She paused as Ghastly spoke on the other end of the line. "Yes but I'm supposed to be protecting her _from_ him." She sighed. "Alright, I'll ask, but I don't think he'll like it." She held the phone away from her ear as Skulduggery cocked his head. "Ghastly has the night off for the first time in a while and he wants me to go over."

"Valkyrie can't be left alone while there are Vampires still infecting people," he answered slowly.

"He knows. He said to leave her with you."

"But I'm supposed to _shoot_ her."

"He knows that too. He said you worry too much." She listened again. "He also says you need a night off."

"Protection detail isn't a night off."

"It makes a change from you kicking down doors and interrogating criminals. You said yourself that you don't want to hurt anyone. You'll be safe for one night, won't you Val?" She turned to her with wide eyes, hope evident in her expression.

"I guess so. Sacrament said the vision is a few weeks away yet so I don't see any problem with it." Skulduggery took in Tanith's pout and sighed.

"Alright, fine," he grumbled. "But you're taking my gun to be sure."

"Deal," Tanith grinned. "I'll see you soon, gorgeous," she said into the phone before cutting off the call and bounding to her feet. "Thank you so much. I haven't seen him properly in _weeks_." She held out her hand for Skulduggery's gun. He withdrew it from inside his jacket and handed it over. Tanith slipped it into the waistband of her trousers.

"You'd better take care of it," he warned.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Don't scratch your precious revolver," she teased. "I'll see you at Gordon's tomorrow, Val." She disappeared out the door with a wave of her fingers, and Valkyrie once again found herself left alone with the skeleton detective.

oO0Oo


	7. Chapter 7

_**Requiem: Chapter Seven...**_

_**I hope you guys are still enjoyibg the story. I'm on a roll so here's the next installment :) Don't forget to favourite or leave a review if you liked it :)**_

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"You guys are terrible at protecting me, you know," Valkyrie mused as the front door closed behind her friend.

"How so?"

"The number one rule we had was that you and I should avoid each other."

"And then we decided chance encounters wouldn't be such a bad thing."

"And this isn't a chance encounter. This is us actively allowing Tanith to leave us alone. Did we just do something stupid?"

"I doubt it." He cocked his head. "Unless I'm wrong about my theory and this is actually indeed very dangerous."

"Are you wrong often?"

"It's a rare occurrence but it's been known to happen."

"Great. That fills me with confidence."

"I can't be right _all_ the time," he answered with a wry smile. "I have to keep it interesting somehow."

"Sure," she answered, shaking her head as his smile widened. She took in the green eyes again. "What made you use this face again?"

"I thought about what you said and decided you were right," he answered simply. "I haven't made the decision to choose it as my permanent facade, but I felt it might be nice to try it out for a while."

"That's fair," she nodded. Silence settled around them for a minute before she spoke again. "So what do we do now?"

"The case is at a dead end and there's no way I'm taking you outside at night with the Infected after you. Not to mention you're shot in the middle of a road in the vision. There aren't any roads indoors. You'll have to make do with my sparkling conversation."

"Goon," she muttered.

"I prefer the term hilarious."

"How about egotistical?"

"I suppose it's better than being called a goon." His eyes strayed to the pile of toys on the wooden floor.

"Do you have a family?" Valkyrie asked. "You seemed like a natural with Alice."

"I had a wife and a child." His expression grew sad. "They died."

"Do you mind if I ask what happened to them?" He considered her for a short while before nodding.

"They were killed in front of me." She stifled a gasp, feeling her eyebrows rise up towards her hairline. "It was how I was trapped and eventually killed. Serpine took them and when I went to find them he killed them in front of me. In a fit of rage I grabbed a dagger laced with poison. By the time I realised, it was too late. He tortured and murdered me and that was that."

"That's...that's rough. I'm sorry that happened to you."

"It is what it is. I can't change the past and I've had a long time to come to terms with it." Valkyrie hesitated before speaking again, and he noticed. "You have more questions. Ask them."

"What if they're not easy to answer?"

"Questions about my life are rarely easy to answer," he replied softly. "But I'll try my best."

"What was that about earlier? When Tanith mentioned the Sceptre being destroyed you seemed to lose your cool. Why was it a tough time for you?"

"I was dragged through a portal into a dimension filled with Faceless Ones."

"Oh. Wow. What was that like?"

"They tortured me for a year." His fists clenched again, but his voice remained steady. "They took my bones apart repeatedly and left me to put myself back together before they came back to do it again. By the end of it I was quite insane."

"How did you get back here?"

"A long time ago a bunch of Goblins stole my head from my spine while I was meditating. I managed to find a replacement that worked well enough."

"I'm sorry, did you say you lost your _head_?"

"I didn't _lose_ it, it was _stolen_," he answered defensively.

"What does that have to do with you escaping the Faceless Ones?"

"If the Goblins hadn't stolen it I would've been trapped. Ghastly and Tanith tracked down my original skull and used it to find me in the dimension I was trapped in. He managed to get a Teleporter to open a portal so they rescue me. It took a while for me to believe they were more than just a hallucination, but eventually I went with them."

"I can see why Tanith said it was a tough time. Were you glad to get your head back at least?"

"Of course I was. Have you _seen_ these cheek bones?"

"You really are a goon," she answered as he chuckled, seemingly back to normal. "I'm glad you managed to get over what happened to you. I think if I'd been through the same things I'd be a different person."

"I _am_ a different person. But that was just one horror in a long list of them," he shrugged like it was no big deal. "You learn to live with the constant threat of impending doom after a while." His smile was playful again, the haunted look in his eyes gone for the moment.

"You know, sometimes I wonder what it would've been like for me if I'd decided to dive into the magical community when I first found out about it. Maybe my future would be different."

"You don't know that your future is a certainty," Skulduggery replied. "I'm doing everything I can to figure it out before it happens, I promise. I don't want to hurt you." He tilted his head again. "Against my better judgement, I'm starting to like you."

"Same here," she answered quietly. "But if we become friends it'll just make the whole thing harder." He gave her a strange look.

"Some things are inevitable. Others are not. I don't believe your death is certain, but something tells me I was always going to cross paths with you, Valkyrie Cain." The words were gentle in the quiet room, hanging in the air between them until he looked away, distracted by his phone ringing. "Sacrament?" He tapped the speaker button.

"Skulduggery, the vision has changed again. I thought you'd like to know."

"What changed?"

"Valkyrie is no longer kneeling in front of you. There's somebody else in your place." The edge in Sacrament's voice made Valkyrie's heart pound.

"Who is it?"

"I can't be sure but...it looks a lot like Lord Vile." Skulduggery clenched his fist so hard his knuckles cracked.

"Can you describe him?"

"He looks just like the paintings. Surrounded by blackness, face totally covered by a mask. He's tall, and the chest plate has a pattern on it. It looks like the Sigils used in Necromancy."

"Is the shadow still in the background?"

"Yeah. I couldn't make much else out, but whoever it is has yellow eyes."

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"Yeah. Valkyrie talks to Vile like she knows him and then the vision ends." Her stomach churned as Skulduggery thanked the Sensitive and ended the call.

"I thought Lord Vile was dead." Her words sounded strangled.

"He wants the armour," the detective said softly, his mind working overtime. _"That's_ what he's searching for."

"The armour of Mevolent's toughest General is in Haggard? _Why_?"

"Because I put it there."

"Why would you do that?" He took in her confused expression with guarded eyes.

"The armour is dangerous enough on its own. With a wearer it becomes deadly. Lord Vile killed entire battlefields without a second thought. He didn't care who his enemy was as long as he had one." There was an edge to his voice that she didn't understand. "I sealed it in the caves because the creatures there feed on magic. It's in a warded box and the Caves are too dangerous for even an experienced sorcerer to go in alone." He frowns. "Requiem must be gathering the Infected to help him get through the Caves."

"If he wanted the armour all along why didn't the vision show that immediately?"

"I think he knows more than we do. If he knows what I think he does then we're in serious trouble."

"What do you think he knows?"

"I can't tell you."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I don't think it's something you're ready to hear. We need to get to the Caves."

"I can't leave Alice." He curses quietly.

"Alright. If people are still disappearing it means he hasn't made a move on the Caves yet. But at the very least he has to know where the armour is in order for the future to shift that way. When will your parents be back?"

"They said I could drop her off in the morning." She could feel her hands trembling. "Am I going to die?"

"I hope not." She smiled without humour, laughing bitterly.

"At least it isn't you that shoots me anymore." He gives her another strange look, but says nothing for a while.

"I need to see the vision myself," he says softly. "I have to be sure."

"I know a Sensitive that might be able to help us, but he isn't very good."

"Anything is better than nothing. Would he be able to get here tonight?"

"I can certainly ask." She pulled out her phone and dialled Andromeda's number. "Hi An."

"What are you calling me this late for?" She sounded sleepy.

"The vision is different. I need you to bring Jordy to my apartment right away."

"Is it bad?" she asked, snapping out of her drowsiness immediately.

"It could be. That's why we need to see it."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." The line clicked off and Valkyrie sat back, feeling numb.

"What if this is something bigger than us? What if it's inevitable?" She could hear the panic in her words. Skulduggery turned to face her, surprising her by taking one of her hands in both of his.

"I will do everything I can to change this, Valkyrie. I promise."

"Thank you. Maybe you should bug out before you get killed though. It makes no sense for both of us to die." He laughed, but there was a bitterness to it.

"I think it's a bit late to leave you now." He let go of her hands and they sat there in silence, contemplating the implications of the return of the most powerful Necromancer Valkyrie had ever heard of. They were only startled out of their silence by a knock at the door. Skulduggery rose smoothly and tapped the defensive sigil glowing on the inside to deactivate it before stepping back to let them in.

"Val!" Andromeda rushed across the room and wrapped her arms around her friend, holding her tight. "You sounded so scared on the phone. I brought Jordy like you asked."

"Hey." The boy waved, curly brown hair falling into his eyes. "I'm ready when you are, though I can't promise much. You know how bad my Sight can be."

"Thank you," Skulduggery said. "The sooner the better in this case." Andromeda eyed him suspiciously but said nothing as Jordy held out his hand to Valkyrie and the detective.

"I can only show the vision to people I'm in physical contact with," he explained. Skulduggery nodded and took his hand at the same time as Val.

oO0Oo

_Running. She was running again. But she was bruised and bleeding. There was a deep slash in her stomach and several more across her back. Her left arm was cradled close to her body, broken in several places. She ran on a swollen ankle and her lips were split. The stickyness on her cheek indicated she had a fresh head wound as she ran through the street. She could see clearer now. The mist was far enough away that she could make out the details of the road leading away from Gordon's estate._

_She was knocked aside by the blackness, crying out as she jarred her broken arm against the tarmac. She rolled to her knees, bright spots dancing in front of her eyes. She swayed as nausea rolled over her like a wave, threatening to suck her away from consciousness. Shadows writhed around her as a figure stepped out of them to stand in front of her. He was clad in armour of the deepest black, his face obscured by a metal mask. The armor was carved with intricate symbols, and each interlocking piece was spiked and jagged looking, almost like scales as it extended up her attackers arms. Several metres behind, obscured by darkness, stood a tall man with shining yellow eyes. The fog and the gloom were too thick to make out his features._

_Lord Vile towered over her, looking down at his catch. The figure in the background waved his hand and she flinched as a tendril of shadow forced her to look up at Vile, pushing at her chin. A second tendril crept to her throat, the blackness sharpening and solidifying in a second. Tears mixed with the blood on her cheeks. In a voice filled with pain and something else she couldn't place, she spoke to him._

_"I forgive you." The figure in the background waved his hand again and the shadow recoiled, ready to stab her through the neck. As it zipped towards her throat the world around her faded to nothing._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie gagged as she was pulled roughly away from the vision, the image of the shadowy blade and the look on her face burned into her eyelids. What scared her was how _clear_ it was. It must be close. How had it changed so drastically and so quickly? And where was Skulduggery in it?

"Val, are you alright?" Andromeda grabbed her hands, but she was looking at the detective. He stared back at her with wide eyes.

"Was it him? Was it Lord Vile?"

"I'm afraid it was," he answered softly. He seemed shaken. "We need to get to the Caves as soon as we can."

"That's the clearest vision I've ever had," Jordy said quietly. He was pale and his lips were trembling.

"And that is exactly why we need to hurry."

"Skulduggery, I can't leave Alice here."

"I know. You could stay here with your friends and I'll go."

"Whoa now, we aren't fighters. We can't protect anyone against the Infected if they come for her," Andromeda answered. "Did you not see me be the one to lead that girl to safety while Valkyrie took care of the fighting? And my brother has never thrown a punch in his life."

"She's right," Jordy piped up.

"Just leave us to babysit and get your butts back here alive before it's time to drop Alice home. She knows us so she won't be worried in the morning."

"I don't know if we'll manage to get back at all," the detective answered doubtfully.

"This situation calls for a last minute fight to save the world from the return of Lord Vile, all while keeping magic away from the mortals, and there's an imminent deadline to work to," Valkyrie said. "Isn't saving the world what you do?" She smiled, showing a confidence she didn't feel.

"I suppose it is." His faint smile was one of admiration. "I'll call Tanith and Ghastly. It won't hurt to have Fletcher with us on this one either."

"Fletcher?"

"He's a Teleporter." He pulled out his phone to call Tanith. "I'm sorry to interrupt but it's urgent. We need you and Ghastly to get Fletcher and get to Gordon's house as quickly as you can. Requiem is going after the armour." He didn't wait for a response, ending the call and turning to Valkyrie. "Do you have anything at all that you could wear to protect you better than a hoodie and a pair of jeans?"

"Not really. I have a leather jacket but that's about it."

"Get it. You're going to need all the help you can get." Valkyrie nodded and hurried to her bedroom, tugging off her hoodie and switching her vest for a long sleeved shirt before tugging the jacket over her shoulders. She switched her trainers for a pair of heavy boots before glancing at the black quarterstaff leaning by the window. She shrugged and grabbed it, splitting it into its two pieces and shoving it into the holders on the strap designed to fasten it to her back. She tugged on the strap, feeling the crossed leather settle against her shoulder blades as she left the room.

"Right, I'm ready. Let's go." Skulduggery nodded in approval and turned to the door. "There's food in the fridge for Alice if she wakes up before we get back. Put her DVD on and give her some toys and she'll be fine for a while. I'll come back as soon as I can." Andromeda squeezed her hands.

"Good luck. If anybody can change the future it's you."

"Be careful," Jordy added. She nodded and ran out after Skulduggery, climbing into the passenger side of the Bentley as he pulled away and sped towards the mansion.

"No matter what happens, you fight for your life tonight. The armour is dangerous even without Requiem getting his hands on it. If Lord Vile is brought out and you see an opening to leave, you run. No matter what. Do you understand?"

"I understand." She hesitated. "If it does go bad and I do die, I want to say thank you now. While I can."

"For what?"

"For killing the man that killed my uncle. For fixing the cradle. For looking out for me, everything. I appreciate it all."

"You've already thanked me for that," he answered gently.

"I want to thank you again. And I want to say that I've stopped wanting to hide in the mortal world. I haven't felt this way in my entire life. Quitting my job to protect my family from the Infected felt like the right thing to do. Meeting you felt right. If I live through this and the vision doesn't come true I want to become an Arbiter. Do you think you could help me?" He thought for a moment.

"I've been looking for a new partner for a while. If we survive this then the job is yours."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure." When they reached the turn off to the mansion he tapped his collar bones and let the facade flow away, revealing the gleaming skull. Valkyrie didn't mind the facade, but something about seeing him as himself made her relax.

"Why did you remove the facade?" she asked as he pulled to a stop outside her old home.

"It gets a bit stifling. I prefer to fight freely." His head dipped. "And I don't doubt that we'll be fighting tonight."

oO0Oo


	8. Chapter 8

_**Requiem: Chapter Eight...**_

oO0Oo

The mansion was quiet as they entered the front door. Skulduggery had a flame burning in his palm despite the protective wards around the house remaining undisturbed. They searched the downstairs together, circling back to the living room just as Ghastly, Tanith and a blonde man appeared with a soft pop.

"I told you not to Teleport into the mansion, Fletcher," Tanith grumbled. "The sigils would have fried us if they weren't already here." She gestured at Skulduggery and Valkyrie as she spoke. The blonde rolled his eyes and disappeared again.

"Thank you for coming," the skeleton said, letting the flame in his palm die out for the moment. "Right now there are no signs of intrusion and the grounds are quiet. I think we've beaten them here, which is a good thing.

"How do you know Requiem wants the armour?" Ghastly asked. He had a package tucked under his arm.

"Sacrament called to warn us of a change in the vision. Valkyrie managed to contact a Sensitive that was willing to show us and what we saw was...well, it wasn't good."

"Lord Vile killed me," she said. Tanith's brow furrowed and Ghastly's eyes widened.

"You're going to need these then," he said, handing the package to her. She watched as Skulduggery cocked his head.

"You made her clothes? How did you find the time?"

"With great difficulty," he answered before turning to her. "I memorised your measurements the first day we met, figuring that those who spend time with Skulduggery usually end up getting hit a lot. I finished them just before Tanith arrived at my home."

"Thank you," she answered, touched that he was looking out for her. They turned their backs as she shrugged the clothes on, deciding it was safer not to let her wander off alone.

The clothes were the deepest black and form fitting. The material was similar to leather but softer, and she could tell it was strong. He'd made her a sleevless shirt with a hardened underbust corset attached to it. She tugged it over her head, not needing to unlace the fastening on its front. It seemed to expand to accomodate her before retracting to sit flush to her stomach as it settled in place. The jacket was long sleeved and close-fitting, but left more than enough room to move. It stopped just above her knees and could be fasted with a zip and two buckles at her waist, though she chose to leave it open. Her trousers were plain black and the boots laced up to her knees. With her new clothes on she felt bullet proof.

"They're perfect," she said, and they turned to face her. Skulduggery's head tilted again as he watched her silently. Tanith nodded in approval.

"You look ready to kick ass," she said with a grin.

"I'm glad you like them," Ghastly added. She shrugged the strap back over her shoulders, fixing the quarterstaff in place on her back. "They should protect you from bullets and magical attacks to a certain extent. Blades won't cut through them."

"Thank you, Elder Bespoke."

"Oh, just Ghastly will do, I think." She smiled broadly.

"Are we ready?" Tanith asked. They nodded. "Let's get this over with."

"We need the key before we can get into the Caves. I left it in Gordon's study once the seal was replaced. I'll be back in a minute." They waited while he disappeared, and he returned a moment later carrying a small box. He opened the lid to reveal an oddly shaped silver brooch nestled on the plush cushion inside.

"Wait a minute, isn't that the brooch Gordon left to Fergus and Beryl?"

"I'm surprised you remember it," he answered smoothly.

"I couldn't forget it if I wanted to. She shrieked at me because I got the house."

"Gordon never could resist an ironic joke." He led them to the basement, running his hands along one of the walls until he found the faintest indentation in the brick. He pressed the brooch into it and the wall opened up to reveal a dark, damp tunnel. "In here are creatures that are immune to magic and will eat whatever they find," he warned. "Stay close and keep quiet." He summoned a flame and Valkyrie copied him, casting light through the dark. Even with the fire flickering between her fingers, she could only see a few yards in front. Skulduggery held his other hand out to read the air as they walked further in, trying to detect hidden dangers.

"I hate this place," Tanith glowered quietly. Valkyrie chuckled, but it died in her throat as she glanced at the other two men. Both of them were tensed up as though they expected an attack at any minute. Skulduggery led them through several turnings and passageways before he stopped abruptly and put a hand up.

"Put out your flame," he said quietly. He let his own fire go out and Valkyrie glanced back to find Tanith and Ghastly had disappeared. She glimpsed the blonde running up the wall as Ghastly pressed himself into a crevice in the rock. Valkyrie snuffed out the light, feeling her heart pound in her chest. She felt something on her arm and then she was pulled back and her mouth was covered. She was a second away from screaming when a voice whispered in her ear. "I've got you," Skulduggery said almost too softly to hear. "I know you can't see, but I can. Stay still." She felt him shift so that her back was to the stone and he was in front of her. He took away the hand at her mouth and rested it on her shoulder as a rumbling growl rattled through the tunnel. The detective pressed her against the rock, concealing both of them in a small alcove. Her eyes began to adjust to the gloom enough to make out vague lines, but it wasn't enough to know what was happening yet. They stayed there for what felt like forever. Her heart hammered so hard she was sure Skulduggery could feel it tapping against his own chest.

A few seconds later his hand pressed against her mouth again, and she knew what he was trying to say. _Hold your breath._ She did, and she felt him shift, turning his head to watch the creature shuffle past his periphery. The brim of his hat brushed her forehead as he moved, and yet she couldn't see even a hint of his skull in the darkness. The gloom shifted again as her eyes grew more accustomed to it, and she could make out the shape of broad shoulders and pointed ears shuffling away from them. She held her breath until she couldn't hold it anymore, and then let it out as slowly and as quietly as she could. Skulduggery put his mouth next to her ear.

"The creature is blind but it has excellent hearing. We need to stay here until I can't sense it shifting the air anymore." She nodded her acknowledgement of his near silent instruction, breathing as shallowly as she could. He turned away from her, backing up until her hands were on his shoulder blades to keep her hidden. One of his hands reached back to snag the corner of her jacket, the other stretching out to read the air. They waited like that for several long minutes before Skulduggery relaxed enough to let go of her coat and step away. She panicked as he let go, claustrophobia clawing at her throat as the darkness pressed in around her. She tried to breathe evenly in through her mouth and out through her nose, keeping her back against the rock. He wouldn't leave her there, would he? What if he thought she was behind him and he was already leaving with Tanith and Ghastly? She'd be alone there in the dark, with no idea how to get out, surrounded by monsters. What if-

He found her hand in the dark, cutting off her spiral of panic as he squeezed her fingers. She recognised the feel of his leather glove even though she couldn't see him. She let him lead her away from the wall as he called out quietly to their companions. The faintest rustle signalled their approach, and then skulduggery lit the smallest flame in his free hand, just enough to illuminate his skull.

"Well that was fun," Tanith whispered as they huddled round the flame, trying their best to stop the light escaping their small group and alerting the creatures around them.

"From here I think it best to travel without light. The creatures in here are attracted to magic, we need to keep it to a minimum while we still have the advantage of being hidden. The less we have to kill, the more will be waiting for Requiem when he gets here." Skulduggery kept a tight hold on Valkyrie's hand even with the faint light. She looked down to see Ghastly had a similar hold on Tanith. "Ghastly and I will use the air currents to keep track of what's around us. I'll lead us to the armour. Ghastly, keep me in front of you as much as you can."

"No fear, I'd rather you get hit than me," he chuckled softly.

"I'm going to let the light die now. Stay close and stay quiet." The flame sputtered out and Valkyrie was blinded once again by the oppressive blackness that swamped them. The only anchor in that horrific dark world was Skulduggery's hand in hers, guiding her along. It took less time for her eyes to adjust after the light was extinguished, and she began to see vague shapes in the dark again. "Back," the detective said softly. "Go back, quickly." She backed up as quickly as she could without stumbling, crouching as he tugged her down behind what looked like a boulder on the ground. She heard the slightest sound of their companions ducking out of sight behind them. "Phalanx tigers," he said softly. "Ugly things."

She could hear them. It sounded like they were fighting. Vicious snarls and snapping sounds filtered through the rocky warren as the animals drew closer. Skulduggery shifted to put her further behind him again. The boulder was barely big enough to conceal them both as the sound of shattering rock and howling reached them. She could just make out the inky sillhouettes of two hairy creatures slashing at one another with their claws. One of them backed up continuously while the other advanced, unrelenting. The retreating creature tore a large chunk from the wall and hurled it. The other batted it away with a huge paw. Skulduggery barely had time to turn away, pulling Valkyrie towards him as the rock collided with them. He took the brunt of the impact against his back, the force of it pushing him forwards. Valkyrie lost her footing and landed on her backside as the shattering stone drew a low grunt of pain from the detective, forcing him forwards even as he put his arms up to protect her from any shrapnel. He collided with her and they hit the ground in a tangle of limbs, not daring to move until the creatures had taken their fighting far enough away for the snarls to fade.

"Ouch," he groaned as he untangled himself from her.

"Are you okay?" She sat up in the dark and felt his hand stop her abruptly.

"I will be if you can manage not to headbutt me," he was very close to her face. His voice came from only an inch away. There was a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Sorry."

"It's alright." He didn't move away from her, instead laying a hand against her cheek where a shard of rock had left a shallow split in the skin. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"A few bruises but I'll be okay. You?"

"I think I cracked a collar bone. Otherwise I'm peachy." Eventually he got slowly to his feet, finding her hand again to haul her up after him. "I think I may have cracked a rib as well."

"Thanks for saving me," she answered.

"It's becoming a habit." She resisted the urge to laugh even as he tugged her deeper into the caves. Eventually they reached a yawning cavern in the wall that opened out into utter blackness. Skulduggery lit a flame in his palm and held it up to light the space. Valkyrie followed suit, and Ghastly copied them a moment later. The cavern was as tall as it was wide, the walls and ceiling disappearing beyond the bubble of light their fires created. She followed him further in, only stopping when a raised stone dais came into view. On the dais sat a heavy wooden box with a large sigil carved into its front. In the box was the armour of Lord Vile.

"Is this it?" Tanith asked. Skulduggery nodded and let go of Valkyrie's hand to approach it. She followed as he snuffed out his fire and knelt down in front of it.

"The sigil is still active." He reached out and touched two gloved fingers to the glowing ward, stiffening as it sent a surge of energy through him. He grunted in pain, but it died down after a few seconds and he lifted the lid. Valkyrie saw the telltale gleam of metal concealed within. "It's still here." He shut the lid and pressed the sigil again, sealing the armour away with another sizzle of electricity.

"Are you telling me we now have to go through these caves with a heavy box as well as being totally blind in here?"

"Yes."

"There's no need for that," said a booming voice from the cavern entrance. Valkyrie's heart sank as Requiem Jones walked into view, flanked by a group of Infected. "Thank you for leading me to my prize, Mr Pleasant."

"You know, Baron Vengeous tried this before and we beat his ass for it," Tanith said casually, drawing her sword. "Why should you be any different?"

"The Baron was a fool. I don't seek to _wear_ the armour. I seek it's _owner_. He went wrong when he believed he was strong enough to control it. I am not so weak minded."

"Lord Vile is dead," Skulduggery answered. "You won't find him here."

"Interesting," Requiem replied, narrowing his yellow eyes. He was tall and broad, with thick shoulders and a ragged scar running across the bridge of his nose. "A living skeleton with all of the disadvantages of the human body, and none of the good parts. I bet that's annoying."

"Why does every villain make the same speech? Yes I'm a skeleton, yes I feel pain, no I can't do many things that a normal man can, and _yes I've heard it all before_. Can we skip ahead to the punching part?"

"With pleasure." Requiem raised his hand in Tanith's direction and she stiffened and punched Ghastly in the face.

"Well that won't do," was all the skeleton said before he launched himself across the cavern. Valkyrie pulled out her quarterstaff, snapping the two halves together and laying into the Infected. Ghastly's armoured clothes dulled the blows and stopped the biting teeth piercing her skin, but still the fight was uneven. She tried to work smart as Skulduggery threw elbows and knees at whatever he could reach. She couldn't help glancing over as he delivered a spinning kick to one Infected before rocking the head of another with his fists. Tanith's body moved less gracefully than normal as Requiem used her like a puppet, forcing her to fight Ghastly. He blocked the strikes and backed away, unwilling to hit her back. Valkyrie used Requiem's distraction to dive at his legs, colliding with his hips hard enough to stagger him. The hold he had on Tanith broke and she leapt into the throng of Infected without missing a beat, Ghastly by her side.

Requiem kicked Valkyrie in the jaw, snapping her head back. She tasted blood as she was forced onto her back. A fireball hit their opponent as he got to his feet, igniting his sleeve. He slapped the flame out with an annoyed grunt and moved to smash his boot down on Valkyrie's chest. She brought up a wall of shadows to protect herself and rolled away from him, grabbing her fallen quarterstaff just in time to slam it into the groin of a lunging Infected. The man she hit snarled and staggered, before running at her so fast she barely had time to curl up as he slammed into her. She bounced off him like a pinball before getting to her feet. Tanith slammed the hilt of her sword against his head from behind and he crumpled.

Most of the Infected were down but Requiem was still on his feet and facing off against Ghastly. Skulduggery put down another bitten assailant and looked around, seeming surprised that nobody else wanted to hit him. He glanced at the wooden box which remained safely closed before pressing his hands to the ground. The floor rumbled and Ghastly danced back as huge spears of rock shot upwards, concealing Requiem behind a spiked stone wall. Valkyrie had never seen anybody strong enough to use the Earth element that way.

"Whoa," she said softly. Her mouth fell open as Skulduggery rose from the ground, rising to see if he had indeed manage to skewer the enemy like he'd hoped. A tense moment passed, and then the rock crumbled and Requiem charged through the dust. Ghastly threw an uppercut that would've knocked any normal man unconscious. The yellow eyed man staggered but didn't fall. Tanith leapt in to slash at him at the same time as Valkyrie jumped forwards to crack her quarterstaff across his back. Skulduggery sent a fireball into his chest, but the larger man snuffed it out quickly and kicked out Tanith's knee. She staggered back with a pained cry, and he crunched a boot against her chest. Her feet lifted off the ground and she slammed into Skulduggery, knocking him out of the air. A thick hand snaked out and clenched round Valkyrie's throat, lifting her into the air before slamming her repeatedly into the floor. She felt the stone splinter and thanked Ghastly mentally again for the clothes that prevented the worst of her injuries. The Elder stiffened as Requiem regained control and began to corrupt him, and Valkyrie took the opportunity to reach up and poke her opponent right in his yellow eyes. He snarled and reeled away, losing his grip on Ghastly as he did.

"Give up, Requiem. You're outnumbered," Skulduggery called.

"You'll have to kill me first, detective," he answered as he straightened up.

"I thought you'd never ask."

oO0Oo


	9. Chapter 9

**_Requiem: Chapter Nine..._**

oO0Oo

Skulduggery pushed at the air and crossed the cavern so fast that Requiem had no time to react. Valkyrie gasped as his shoes collided with the yellow eyed man's face hard enough to crumple him. As he fell, Skulduggery pushed off of him, flipped gracefully and landed on his feet, straightening his hat as Requiem crashed to the floor.

"What the Hell was _that_?" Tanith asked, wide eyed.

"What? Oh. He talked too much." Skulduggery brushed the front of his suit as though he hadn't just flattened someone and Tanith started laughing. Ghastly snapped a pair of binding cuffs around the unconscious man's wrist and tapped a sigil on his own wrist.

"What's that for?" Valkyrie asked.

"It'll call Fletcher to bring Cleavers to us. He can teleport here even if he's never seen the place," the Elder answered. "Somebody has to clean up this mess." He gestured at the multiple unconscious bodies on the ground.

"You called?" The voice made Valkyrie jump and she whirled to see the blonde Teleporter and a small army of Cleavers with him. The Cleavers immediately set about cuffing the Infected and linking arms. Skulduggery crossed to Valkyrie and put one hand on her arm and the other on Fletcher. When everyone was linked, she blinked and they were outside the holding cells in the Sanctuary.

oO0Oo

"Is it really that easy?" Valkyrie was in the Infirmary again while Doctor Raze patched them up. Skulduggery was sat with his shirt unbuttoned while she wrapped some sort of strange black tape around his splintered ribs and collar bone.

"Things are rarely simple. We'll have to wait and see if the Sensitives continue to see visions. If Sacrament and Jordy can't see anything then I think it's safe to assume we've successfully diverted ourselves from an undesirable future." He winced as the doctor pulled a strip of tape taught and snapped it off the roll.

"I can't believe you took him out like that. And where did you learn to _fly_?"

"I had a lot of free time in the Faceless One's dimension." He shrugs. "I developed a complete understanding of elemental magic."

"Stay still," the doctor scolded, tapping one of the taped bones. Valkyrie snickered as he tilted his head at her. She knew if the facade was up he'd be smiling. It was strange to see his ribs exposed and even stranger still that the doctor kept putting the very tips of her fingers between them. Skulduggery shifted uncomfortably each time as though it hurt him.

"How come you can tape Skulduggery's ribs and they heal right up but we don't have tape like that for the normal people?" Valkyrie asked.

"The tape has been specifically designed for Skulduggery's...unique situation. If his bones break he can actually _lose_ them. It's uncomfortable for him but necessary." The doctor spoke about him like he wasn't actually there. "He has an extraordinarily high pain threshold."

"Does it hurt?" Valkyrie asked him. Before he could answer for himself, Doctor Raze poked a finger between his ribs down to the second knuckle and he gasped and jerked away from her.

"_Yes_," he answered roughly. "Of course it hurts. It hurts as much as somebody sticking their fingers into your chest cavity without anaesthetic." He grunted again as she wound more tape. "It isn't something you really get used to."

"If you'd stop breaking your bones I wouldn't need to do this," the doctor retorted.

"I'll bear that in mind, shall I?" he muttered. The doctor finished taping the last crack and sat back. Skulduggery buttoned his shirt and re-fastened his tie quickly before getting to his feet.

"I say this to you every time you come here, but _no more fighting_. You need time to heal. Even with the tape it'll take a few days."

"As always your advice is appreciated." He slipped his jacket back over his shoulders.

"Maybe I'd believe that if you actually listened to it," she answered, scowling as he left the Infirmary. Valkyrie followed behind for a minute in silence.

"So, what now?"

"Exactly what I said. We need to visit Sacrament to see if the vision is still the same. I'd also like to check in with the Elders to make sure the armour is being kept suitably safe. It wouldn't be the greatest thing if we liberated it from the caves only for it to be stolen by someone equally as unscrupulous as Requiem."

"I can't believe you took him out like that," she answered with a wide grin. "We were all set to fight to the death and you hit him with a _flying drop-kick_."

"I didn't want to give him the opportunity to reach the armour. I know my handsome exterior is misleading, but underneath the sophistication and charm there is a person that grows fearful of things from time to time. If he had gotten hold of it then your death would have been pretty much guaranteed. Not to mention the deaths of the rest of my friends alongside you."

"You count me as one of your friends?" He stopped and turned to look at her, his head tilting in surprise.

"You thought I didn't?"

"I don't know. I guess not."

"I wouldn't offer just anyone the role of partner, Valkyrie. If we have indeed diverted ourselves from the terrible future that was waiting we'll be spending quite a lot of time together. If I didn't think of you as a friend I can imagine that would become tedious for both of us."

"And if we haven't diverted the future?"

"Then as disappointing as it will be, I will have to avoid you again."

"Skulduggery Pleasant, are you saying you'd miss me?" She arched an eyebrow, grinning broadly.

"Certainly, almost like one might miss a goldfish after it has died." He dodged the swing she sent towards his shoulder with ease, chuckling gently.

"You know how to ruin a moment, don't you?"

"We were having a moment?"

"Weren't we? Was that not what that was? I thought we were realising our friendship or something."

"Do you want to have a moment with me? I can backtrack if you'd like."

"No, you've already ruined it." He laughed again as he opened the door to one of the various Sanctuary meeting rooms. Valkyrie was greeted by all three Elders, even Dexter Vex, seated in the chairs opposite them.

"Skulduggery," China Sorrows greeted him with a nod, and then her eyes passed to Valkyrie and suddenly she felt light headed. "You must be Valkyrie Cain. I've heard so much about you." Valkyrie stared, transfixed by her porcelain skin and beautiful blue eyes. Her limbs felt heavy. She wanted to sink to her knees beside her and stay there forever.

"China," Skulduggery growled. The steel edge to his voice was enough to draw Valkyrie's attention from the other-worldly woman before her, and then as suddenly as it overcame her, she was free. She could look at China without going misty eyed.

"My apologies, I do forget how people perceive me the first time they meet me," she said with a brilliant smile. "Please, have a seat both of you."

"Nice to see you Skul. Been a long time," Dexter grinned from across the table.

"Indeed it has. I'm surprised you're here for this."

"I came as soon as the armour was mentioned. It's dangerous enough to need my attention."

"We've made arrangements to keep it contained in the bowels of the old Roarhaven Sanctuary beneath us," Ghastly said. "China has taken the time to place protection wards around it that will kill any without permission to access it. Naturally nobody has permission to go anywhere near it but us." He gestured at the other Elders. "We have Cleavers on guard at all times and have placed it inside a further protective case that is also magically sealed and guarded."

"Sounds secure," Skulduggery said. "I would have preferred to leave it in the Caves but it seems its location was no longer a secret. Do we know how Requiem found it?"

"Not yet. That's what we need you to ask him," Dexter said, leaning forward in his chair.

"Requiem refuses to speak to anybody but you and Valkyrie," China finished.

"Why me?" Valkyrie asked.

"We're not sure. Like I said, he refuses to speak to us. We can't get anything out of him." She surveyed Val with her bottomless blue eyes, her expression impassive.

"We also haven't found the Vampire responsible for infecting the people we arrested. We found a few of them dead in the Caves, but most of them are alive and well. one or two were too far gone to cure and are now adjusting to becoming Vampires themselves. Once we feel they're no longer a risk to society we'll release them. After all, none of this was their choice," Ghastly explained.

"We need your help still Skul. We know you're an Arbiter and technically you don't operate under our rules anymore, but we were hoping you might extend your partnership with us until we get to the bottom of it. The Sanctuary detectives just aren't up to it." Vex's tone was pleasant as he spoke, and his easy smile made Valkyrie relax even as China stared her down.

"Will you agree to work with us for a while longer?" Ghastly asked, a twinkle in his eye. It was clear he already knew the answer.

"Of course," Skulduggery replied. "Providing Valkyrie here can assist me. With Requiem controlling her death in the Sensitive visions, I feel it's only fair that she be involved."

"That won't be a problem," China said smoothly.

"Excellent. I'd like to visit the Sensitives first, and then we'll return to see what he has to say. If any of the others give anything away while we're gone please let me know." Skulduggery rose from his seat and Valkyrie followed as the Elders said goodbye.

"I don't think China likes me," she mused as they walked through the corridors. "She was looking at me strangely."

"She doesn't like people that interest me more than she does," the detective answered. "In fact she doesn't like _anyone_ more interesting than her, full stop." He stopped as he found the blonde Teleporter in the Sanctuary foyer. "Ah, Fletcher. Just the person I needed."

"Skulduggery, I was hoping to avoid you." Fletcher turned with a dismayed expression and folded his arms across his chest.

"You should try having less obvious hair then."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

"Everything." Valkyrie chuckled as Fletcher glared at the skeleton.

"At least I _have_ hair," he muttered. "What do you want?"

"We need to go back to the mansion. My car is there."

"I'm not a taxi."

"You work for the Sanctuary don't you?"

"Yeah but-"

"And you're aware I'm an Arbiter, yes?"

"...I know."

"Then you will also know that I have access to all Sanctuary resources to help with this case, yes?"

"Yes," Fletcher answered, his tone turning sullen.

"So unless you want to Teleport me _everywhere_ I need to go, I would like you to take me to the mansion so that I can get my car, and then Valkyrie and I will drive ourselves to where we need to be."

"Fine, I'll take you to your car." He turned to Valkyrie. "If you ever get bored of hanging around him come find me," he winked.

"I'll bear that in mind," she answered, raising an eyebrow. He grinned broadly. Skulduggery cleared his non-existent throat and Fletcher rolled his eyes and held out his hands. In a flash they were back in the entryway of the mansion. Fletcher waved at Valkyrie and disappeared again. "You really don't like him, do you?"

"I don't understand how anybody can spend as much time on their hair as he does and it still look like _that_," he answered. "It irritates me." He began to ascend the stairs, stopping as Valkyrie shot him a puzzled look. "I want to check on the Echo Stone. If I did anything wrong when recarving the sigils it may have stopped working again."

"When we've done that do you think you could take me home? I want to be there before Alice wakes up and I'm sure Andromeda and Jordy are worried sick."

"Of course," he answered warmly. Valkyrie followed him into the study, pleased to see the echo stone still glowing softly in its cradle. Seeming happy with what he saw, the skeleton returned the cradle to its secret room. "We should return to check the stone regularly in case it charges sooner than expected. I'm sure Gordon will be dying for some company when he's able to come out again."

"I can't believe you fixed it. The carvings are so small and intricate. How long were you at it?"

"About six hours," he answered. "It's not too bad when you have no muscles to ache and you don't need sleep." He straightened up and brushed the front of his suit. "Now let's get you home before your sister wakes up." Valkyrie grinned and bounded back down the stairs, heading out to the sleek black car on the drive way. She marvelled again at how beautiful it was before sliding into the passenger side. Skulduggery settled beside her and activated the facade, the familiar green eyes and sandy hair flowing quickly over his skull.

"How are your broken bones doing?"

"Mending," he answered. "I'll be fine in a few days."

"It looked like that tape really hurt. Is there no other way to fix you?" He shook his head. "What about that weird rock that I put in the bath?"

"It only works on a living body. I am technically undead," he answered.

"So you just have to sit there in pain while they tape you up?"

"It's that or risk losing pieces of me."

"Doesn't it annoy you?"

"It used to." He frowns. "To be a skeleton that can experience pain was hugely inconvenient for me at first, but over time it's become useful. I can be reckless sometimes. The pain reminds me that my existence can still end."

"So you don't mind?"

"I suppose I don't, no."

"Is it hard to be a skeleton?" He glanced at her with a puzzled look. "Well you can't eat food you used to love. You can't brush your hair, or get out of breath after a run, or cry. Doesn't that ever upset you?"

"Sometimes. Not as often nowadays."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Why would I be lonely?"

"Well I'm assuming you can't really have a relationship with anyone, can you? All those years ago you had a wife. Do you miss not being able to have that now?"

"Who says I can't?" She blinked, surprised when he smiled. "Do you think I've been single since my wife died?"

"Wait a minute. Are you telling me you've had a girlfriend while being a _skeleton_?"

"Yes. Granted it didn't last."

"What happened?"

"She wanted to kill lots of people so I had to cut out her heart and put it in a box," he answered brightly.

"Wow." She stayed silent for a moment. "You've had a _really weird_ life."

"You could say that." He tilted his head again. "Are you really so surprised that somebody could love me as I am?"

"No," she said quickly, blushing. "No that's not what I meant. I was more referring to the fact that you don't have..." She trailed off, her blush deepening.

"The necessary organs?" he supplied with an amused smile.

"Yes."

"While I'd rather not go into the specifics of my relationships right now, I'm not entirely incapable of intimacy. And usually my sparkling personality is enough to make up for what I lack in skin and the like."

"I'm sure it does," she answered, unable to help her soft chuckle. "Can the facade not help you with some of the parts you're...missing?"

"These are very personal questions, you know."

"You said we were friends didn't you?"

"I did."

"Then you signed up for this," she grinned. He laughed. "I've never met anyone like you and the thought of you missing out on life makes me weirdly sad."

"I'm not missing out on life." He paused. "And it's a full body facade if that's what you're asking. So I suppose it does help."

"Have you had a girlfriend while you've had it?"

"No."

"A one night stand? A fling?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

"You are nosey aren't you?"

"Yes. Now answer my question." He pulled the car into the parking area behind her apartment and switched off the engine.

"Give me your hand." She blinked, but did as he asked. He laid her palm over his chest and she felt the rise and fall of him breathing. She was surprised to find that he felt warm. He waited a moment, and then lifted her fingers to his throat, where she could feel a pulse thrumming under the skin. She gasped. "The facade is incredibly advanced. China worked on it for years before getting it to this point." He let go of her hand.

"That's _amazing_. It's like you're actually alive. Does it feel that way to you?"

"Not quite, but it isn't far off. It doesn't bleed when it gets cut and I still don't have a sense of smell. I still can't eat and it doesn't make me need sleep, but I can feel things."

"Like what?"

"The same things you can. If you pinched me it would hurt, for example."

"Are you ticklish?" He thought for a second.

"I would assume so."

"Can it bruise?"

"It can."

"Do the bruises hurt?"

"Not the way a bruise would hurt you. To bruise the facade you would need to injure my skeleton underneath."

"So if you got a black eye and I poked the bruise it wouldn't hurt?"

"Of course it would hurt, you'd be poking me in the _eye_."

"You know what I mean."

"If I broke an arm the facade would bruise. If I cracked a cheekbone it would bruise. If you poke a broken bone it hurts. So right now the facade is bruised over my collar bone and ribs. If you were to jab those bruises it would hurt, but only because the bones underneath are damaged. Does that make more sense?"

"I think so."

"Have you run out of questions yet?" he asked.

"Not even close, but if we stay here any longer Alice will wake up and see I've been gone. Let's go." She hopped out of the car and bounded up the stairs, eager to see her friends.

oO0Oo


	10. Chapter 10

_**Requiem: Chapter Ten...**_

_**Hey guys, the story is far from over :) Don't forget to leave a review or favourite if you liked it :) Here's the next chapter!**_

* * *

oO0Oo

"Val! You're alive!" Andromeda threw herself at her friend, flinging her arms around Valkyrie's neck hard enough to stagger her. Skulduggery grunted as the pair of them fell into him, putting his hands on Valkyrie's shoulders automatically to steady her. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"I'm fine, calm down!" Andromeda let go so her friend could step away from the detective.

"Where did you get the clothes? They're so cool," she said as she took in the black coat and the boots.

"Ghastly Bespoke made them for me after he met us when we went to give statements."

"But he didn't even take any measurements."

"He doesn't need to," Skulduggery answered. "He can make clothes for anybody, even me."

"Thanks for bringing her back alive," Andromeda said shyly.

"My pleasure," he answered with a smile.

"Did Alice know I was gone?"

"No, she didn't even wake up. We just sat and played video games all night while we waited for you to come back. What happened?" Jordy came to his sister's side with a concerned expression on his face as he spoke.

"Well we went into some Caves under the mansion to find Lord Vile's armour, got attacked by Requiem and his cronies and then went back to the Sanctuary to dump them all in a cosy cell," Valkyrie answered. "It was weird. The hardest part was getting to the armour in the first place. The fight seemed to be over in no time."

"That's a good thing though right?" An asked, twirling a strand of pink hair around her finger as she frowned.

"I don't know. I get the feeling it was too easy. And we're still looking for the other Vampire he was working with."

"Speaking of too easy," Skulduggery cut in. "I was hoping you might be able to help us, Jordy. We need to know if arresting Requiem has changed Valkyrie's fate."

"Sure," he shrugged. "I haven't seen anything since what I showed you last night but I can look." He took Valkyrie's hand and closed his eyes, concentrating as hard as he could. He stayed like that for a few minutes before sagging. "I can't see anything, but that could be because I'm a bad Sensitive," he answered.

"Thank you for checking."

"Doug!" Alice yelled at the detective from the doorway before bounding across the room and leaping at him. He barely had time to catch her as she swung off his neck. Valkyrie saw his eyes tighten in pain as it jarred his aching ribs, but he smiled broadly as she settled on his hip with a toothy grin.

"Good morning to you too," he said.

"Why don't I get that sort of reception?" Valkyrie asked her sister.

"I see you all the time," the little girl retorted. "Doug is my _new_ friend."

"Doug?" Andromeda frowned in confusion.

"Don't ask," Valkyrie chuckled.

"Why is An here?" Alice asked.

"She came to visit. She's going home now so you can eat your breakfast."

"I want dippy eggs."

"Alright, give me a minute to say goodbye and I'll make you some," Valkyrie smiled.

"I'll do it," Skulduggery offered. Valkyrie nodded in thanks and he moved towards the kitchen, chatting brightly with Alice as he did.

"He seems...kinda nice," Andromeda mused.

"Did you expect him not to be?"

"I thought he'd be a jerk, in all honesty. It's a shame that once this is over he'll go back to his Arbiter work. It might be nice to get to know him."

"Yeah, about that," Valkyrie said sheepishly. "If we've managed to divert the future I'm going to become an Arbiter with him. He's offered me the opportunity to be his new partner."

"That's kinda huge," An gasped. "You realise that's you taking one giant step into the magical community, right? Everyone will know who you are once you do this. You can't hang around Skulduggery Pleasant and not find trouble."

"I know. But it feels like I was meant to do it. I don't know how to explain it."

"I get it," Jordy cut in, smiling. "Sometimes you just meet people that you know are meant to be in your life, no matter how crazy it seems. I think you've got big things coming, Val."

"How do you know?" An asked.

"It's just a feeling I have." He pushed his curly hair out of his eyes. "We'd better go anyway. The cat needs feeding. You know if we don't go back home soon he'll pee on the carpet in protest."

"Fine." His sister rolled her eyes and squeezed Valkyrie's shoulders again. "See ya." Valkyrie shut the door behind them and sighed. She felt a small flame of hope burning in her gut after finding out that Jordy could no longer see her future. She walked to the kitchen to see Alice sitting at the table with Daisy clutched in her hand while Skulduggery sliced toast for her at the counter. A growl in Valkyrie's stomach made him look up.

"I made enough toast for you as well," he said. "I know you didn't eat last night with everything that went on." He held a plate out to her and she accepted it gratefully, wolfing down a full slice before he'd even finished cutting the top off Alice's eggs. As soon as he set the plate down in front of her she dunked a finger of toast in the yolk and made a mess.

"Don't ruin your pyjamas, pipsqueak," Val warned. Her authority was undermined by a huge yawn. "I'm beat."

"Go get some sleep. I'm sure your parents won't mind you dropping Alice off a little later." He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the counter.

"I can't leave you to baby sit. I feel like I'm the only one that hasn't looked after her and she's _my_ sister."

"I don't mind, and I need you bright eyed today. We still have things to do." He smiled. "My daughter was the same age as Alice. I'm perfectly capable of looking after her for a while."

"What was her name?"

"Aurora."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Her mother chose it." His eyes softened as he watched Alice eat her breakfast and play with her doll. "She was a lot like Alice."

"A handful then?"

"Definitely," he chuckled. "Go to sleep. I'll wake you in a couple of hours."

"Thank you." Valkyrie smiled and left the kitchen, grateful for the opportunity to rest. The lack of sleep made her eyes itch, and her body ached. The cut on her face was healed and her bruises were gone, but her bones felt tired. She shrugged off her protective clothes, pulled on a thick jumper and some shorts, and crawled under the sheets. Her eyes drifted shut almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

oO0Oo

_Mist. Mist surrounded her. She looked in every direction but she couldn't see anything. Even her feet were obscured from view. She could feel her heart beginning to hammer as claustrophobia set in. She snapped her fingers and lit a flame in her palm, trying to clear the fog enough to see where she was, but it closed in like a blanket. She let the fire die and pushed at the air instead, but nothing happened. She stumbled forwards, arms out in front as she walked. The mist made it hard to read the air, so she had to operate on touch alone._

_She reached a spot where the mist thinned abruptly and suddenly she could see. She saw cars upturned, rubble where houses had been smashed in, scarred tarmac where the road beneath her had been torn to bits. She didn't recognise the location but it looked to be a city street. Here and there bodies were laid in the road. When she tried to run to them they disappeared in a cloud of black smoke and ash._

_A presence behind her made her turn, and her heart dropped as Lord Vile approached. His feet made no sound as they crossed the tarmac in their heavy metal boots. Black shadows rose from him like smoke, trailing behind him in writhing tendrils. The mask hid every bit of the face beneath. She shrank away as he approached in all his violent glory. He continued past her, not even glancing in her direction, and she watched as somebody floated down from the sky. The other figure was also surrounded by thrashing shadows, silhouetted against the land behind her. She touched down gently, dark hair billowing around her and mixing with the shadows. Her face was distorted, almost like an old photo. Valkyrie couldn't make out her features._

_"I've been waiting for this," she said, and Valkyrie was shocked to hear her own voice come from the figure in the swirling darkness. "The great Lord Vile, unleashed at last. Tell me, how does it feel to be free?"_

_"Who are you?" His voice was distorted by the mask, but it still dripped with power as he ignored her question._

_"My name is Darquesse. I'm the one who freed you."_

_"Why?"_

_"I fancied a challenge," she shrugged, and then the two of them leapt at one another and the scene disappeared in a shockwave of blackness._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie woke up in a cold sweat, a shout dying in her throat as a gloved hand touched her shoulder. The nightmare still had its claws in deep as she jerked away from whoever was near her, terrified that they might hurt her.

"Valkyrie, it's alright. You're safe." Skulduggery's velvety voice brought her back to her senses as she blinked up at him. He stood by her bed with a concerned expression on his face. "I came to wake you. Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She wiped a hand across her face, scrubbing away the last dregs of her fear. "I had a nightmare."

"What about?"

"Lord Vile and some weird shadow lady that sounded like me. I think the vision still has me rattled," she explained as she got to her feet. She cracked her knuckles over her head and yawned.

"Hopefully visiting Sacrament will put you at ease."

"Fingers crossed. Where's Alice?"

"In the living room playing with her dolls."

"Thanks for looking after her. I appreciate it." She picked up the protective clothing and laid it out on the bed.

"You needed to rest and I was available," he shrugged. "I'm sure I'll be half-buried under a pile of toys by the time you're ready to leave." She smiled as he left her alone again, switching her shorts and jumper for the black garments and sweeping her dark hair off her face in a ponytail. She entered the living room a minute later to see that Skulduggery was indeed disappearing under a pile of doll-sized clothing.

"We're packing," Alice said cheerfully.

"Which means she's passing me every item one at a time and I'm the one packing it," he supplied.

"Alice we don't have time to play games while packing up. Put your things away so I can get you home." She scowled, but took the bundle of tiny clothes and shoved them into her wheelie case. It took much longer to get her things put away than it needed to, but eventually Alice bounded away to change out of her pyjamas and Skulduggery got to his feet.

"Once we drop Alice home we can go straight to Sacrament. I called ahead while you were sleeping and he says he hasn't seen anything, but he was happy for us to go there in case being closer to you sparks something." He smiled, his green eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. "So far it sounds like we were successful."

"Don't you think it was too easy though? I feel like it should've been harder."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just get the sense that it isn't over." She shrugged. "Maybe it's just the nightmare talking."

"All we can do for now is wait and see." Alice reappeared in a denim pinafore dress, ending their conversation.

"I'm ready!" she annouced.

"Took you long enough," Valkyrie teased. "Let's go then. Mum and dad will be missing you." Alice grabbed her case with one hand and insisted on holding Skulduggery's hand with the other. He let her drag him away as Valkyrie shut the door behind them, shooing them along before her sister could notice the protection sigil glow once as it locked. "Are we taking your car or mine?"

"That depends. Are you bothered about your parents seeing me?"

"Even if they didn't see you they'd know all about 'Doug' within an hour of Alice getting home."

"Whichever car we take will be the one we drive to Sacrament's in," he said. Valkyrie looked over at her little red car and frowned. She loved her car, but given the choice between that and a Bentley? She grinned, and he nodded. "My car it is then." She grabbed Alice's car seat from the back of her own and clipped it into his carefully, helping Alice into it before sliding into the passenger side.

"This car smells nice," Alice said from the back. "Steph's smells like cheesy puffs."

"That's because you won't stop eating them," Valkyrie retorted. "Everytime I clean it you get cheese dust everywhere."

"Does she have any of them nearby now?" Skulduggery sounded panicked.

"No."

"Thank God." He relaxed as he guided the vehicle through the streets of Haggard. "Would you like me to wait in the car while you drop her off?"

"The less questions my parents ask, the better." He nodded in agreement. It didn't take long to reach her old home, and as Skulduggery pulled up outside she saw the curtain twitch. She got out to help Alice out of the back seat before her parents could open the door and come out.

"No, I want Doug to do it."

"Come on, pipsqueak. Doug needs to stay in the car."

"No!" Her bottom lip quivered, and Valkyrie groaned. A full scale tantrum wouldn't be far behind. Skulduggery looked at her from the front seat, before he sagged and got out, choosing to leave his hat behind. Alice's bright smile returned as soon as he appeared to unclip her seatbelt. She grabbed his hand and tugged him along in her wake.

"Alice, wait!" Valkyrie called, but she was already opening the front door. She scowled and followed after them. Alice let go of Skulduggery as soon as she saw her dad, and the detective straightened up and ran a hand through his hair. It was longer on top and swept to the side, with a very slight wave to it. He raised an eyebrow at her as she looked at him, and then her parents descended.

"Thank you so much for babysitting sweetheart," Melissa said, folding her into a hug.

"Did you have a good time?" Valkyrie asked.

"Oh it was lovely, the food was very nice."

"My steak was tough," Desmond muttered.

"You asked for it well done, dear."

"Yes but I meant for it to be _done well_, as in do it well, not overcook it."

"You didn't tell the waiter that though did you?" Desmond grumbled something in response, and then his eyes followed Alice as she ran back to Skulduggery.

"This is Doug," she said proudly. "He's my new friend."

"Hello Doug," Melissa said, glancing at her eldest daughter. "I assume you're actually Stephanie's friend and Alice has claimed you as her own?"

"That would be correct. It's a pleasure to meet you." He oozed charm, and Valkyrie watched in surprise as her mother melted. She was still beaming at him when Desmond stepped forwards to shake his hand.

"The name's Desmond. Steph didn't tell us she had a boyfriend." Valkyrie nearly choked.

"Yes, it's been a while since she had anybody around that she felt was important enough to come and see us. How did you meet?" Her mother looked between them eagerly.

"He's a detective," Alice chimed before Val could shut down the conversation. "An called him it when I was playing."

"Wow, you work in law enforcement?" Desmond asked. Skulduggery didn't miss a beat even as Valkyrie panicked.

"I do. I'm actually investigating a series of abductions around Haggard. Stephanie tells me you and Alice were almost attacked yourselves?" he asked, turning to her mother.

"We were. We managed to run into a shop and he disappeared. It was terrifying."

"You'll be pleased to know the man responsible has been arrested and is currently in custody."

"He is? Oh that's wonderful news! Is that how you met my Steph then? As part of your investigation?" Melissa's cheeks were pink as she spoke to him.

"Something like that," Valkyrie muttered. "We should really-"

"Oh you have to tell us more than that! You can't bring home a new boyfriend and not give me the story." She turned to Skulduggery again before Valkyrie could speak. "If Steph won't tell me I'm sure you won't mind." She took his arm to guide him into the living room. He shot Valkyrie an amused grin as he was tugged through the doorway and she cursed under her breath.

"Thought you could hide him from us, eh?" Desmond asked, beaming. "We aren't stupid."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Sure he isn't. I saw that look he gave you just then. I may forget my pants sometimes but I wasn't born yesterday."

"He _isn't_."

"You can't lie to us." He tapped his nose and walked into the living room before she could argue, scooping up Alice as he went. Valkyrie sagged and followed him. She took the only empty seat in the room, which happened to be beside the detective, and sulked.

"So tell me everything," Melissa was saying. "Right from the beginning."

"There isn't much to tell," Skulduggery answered.

"Oh, now you know I don't believe that," Melissa chuckled.

"Mum, he's right."

"I'm not letting you leave until you tell me." He turned to look at Valkyrie and she shrugged, defeated.

"We met around a week ago," Skulduggery said. "Stephanie was out with her friend. I was tailing the man responsible for the abductions. He spotted them and followed, and I arrested him as he was about to try and drag them off." Melissa's eyes widened. "I took Stephanie's statement, we exchanged numbers and that was that. We've seen each other a few times since." Valkyrie was surprised that he stuck to the truth.

"You found yourself a real hero, sweetheart," Melissa simpered. "Hold onto him."

"_Mum_," she muttered, her cheeks reddening as Skulduggery grinned again.

"What are your intentions towards my daughter, Mr...?" Her father trailed off as he realised he had no idea what Skulduggery's surname was.

"Pleasant," Skulduggery said.

"Mr Pleasant. I demand to know."

"Calm down, Des," Melissa answered, patting his knee.

"I need to know if you're in it for the long haul or if you plan to break her heart. Because I have to warn you, I'm not very strong and I'm not very fast, but I have a mean glare." Desmond puffed out his chest. "So go ahead. Tell me your intentions Mr Pleasant."

"My intentions are honourable, I assure you. It's early days, but I have a feeling I'll be around for a while," he answered. Something squeezed in Valkyrie's chest as he turned to look at her, a gentle smile playing around his lips. Oh, he was _good_. She could see her mother gazing at them with starry eyes.

"Goodness, I never offered anyone a drink," she said suddenly. "Can I get either of you anything?"

"No, thank you," Skulduggery declined politely.

"I'm alright, Valkyrie answered.

"I'd like a tea," Desmond said.

"I didn't ask you," his wife answered.

"I'll make it," Valkyrie said quickly, rising from her seat before anybody could stop her. In the kitchen, alone, she breathed a sigh of relief and flicked the kettle on. She found herself thinking of the weird feeling in her chest when Skulduggery had turned to look at her. She didn't know what it was, but whatever it was couldn't be good. That much she was sure of.

oO0Oo


	11. Chapter 11

_**Requiem: Chapter Eleven...**_

_**I have the next chapter already so here it is for all of you :)**_

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oO0Oo

"He seems nice," Melissa said from the kitchen doorway, and Valkyrie almost jumped out of her skin.

"Mum, you scared me."

"Sorry dear. Do you like him? He seems to like you very much." She sighed. "Des used to look at me like that. Now he just asks me where I put his clean socks."

"Look at me like what?"

"You know, like you captivate him."

"Captivate?"

"Hold his attention. Like you're the most important person in the room. You can't honestly tell me you haven't noticed?"

"I haven't," she answered, feeling her cheeks heat again.

"Well, I certainly have. The way he looks at _me_ makes my stomach go all funny and he was only saying hello. Lord knows how _you_ cope with it."

"Mum! You're married."

"I know. But I can appreciate an attractive man when I see one. He has a _fabulous_ dress sense. And that car outside says he must be well off too. I always found money made people a little conceited but he seems lovely." She beamed widely, her cheeks colouring again. "I love a man with a square jaw. He's very handsome, don't you think?"

"I guess so," Valkyrie muttered, turning away to make her father's tea.

"I'm your mother, Steph. You can talk about these things with me. Is he a good kisser? He looks like he would be."

"I don't _want_ to talk about it. And I don't know if he is."

"You haven't kissed him yet? Why on earth not?" Melissa looked mortified. "The poor man will think you don't like him."

"It just never seemed right," she answered truthfully. Of course it didn't seem right to kiss a man she wasn't dating.

"There's rarely a _wrong_ time with a man like that. If I were in your position I'd never let go of him." She giggled and Valkyrie grimaced. "Does he make you laugh?"

"Constantly," she answered automatically, smiling to herself. "He's funny."

"That's what attracted me to your father. If you marry a funny man you'll never be bored."

"Can we not talk about marriage? We met _a week ago._"

"Sorry, I know I'm being embarrassing. I'm just excited. You should bring him for dinner sometime."

"Sure mum," she mumbled, ducking out of the kitchen as quickly as she could to give her father his tea. "We should go, Doug. I still have some stuff to move to the apartment," she lied. He nodded and got to his feet. Alice looked up from her toys and waved at him. He waved goodbye as he followed Valkyrie into the hallway.

"I was saying to Steph that you should come for dinner soon. It would be lovely to get to know you," Melissa said before folding her oldest daughter into a hug. She did the same to Skulduggery and then Desmond shook his hand.

"We'll think about it," Val said, already halfway out of the door. Skulduggery chuckled and excused himself, following her out to the car. As they pulled away from the curb she let out a heavy sigh.

"Your parents seem nice."

"They think you're my _boyfriend_."

"They didn't really give either of us a chance to say I wasn't, though it's better than them knowing the truth isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so. The less they know, the better." She tipped her head back against the head rest and closed her eyes. "I have no idea how I'm gonna get out of the dinner invitation."

"I'm sure you'll manage," he answered.

"Have you ever thought about becoming an actor? My mum really believed you when you said you'd be around for a long time."

"Who said I was acting?" She opened her eyes and saw the corner of his mouth was lifted as he watched the road. "Becoming my partner isn't a short term thing, you know. And I don't know about you, but I usually expect a friendship to last a while. I simply told the truth."

"She talked about how you looked at me though. You were _really_ convincing. I think even my mum might be in love with you."

"I _am_ charming."

"You have Alice wrapped around your little finger too."

"Ah, now I think that might be the other way around."

"You like her?"

"I do. She's sweet."

"Even though she calls you Doug?"

"It ended up becoming useful when we met your parents. I don't think the name Skulduggery would've gone down as easily."

"Fair point." Valkyrie sighed. "I'm worried that becoming an Arbiter might make it harder for me to keep magic from my family. What if they drop by one day unannounced and you're at my apartment without your facade?"

"I'd hear them outside the door and activate it before they came in," he answered.

"And if they see me with a different guy every time they visit they'll starting thinking I'm some sort of harlet."

"A_ harlet_? That's what you're going to go with?" His laugh was musical as she scowled. "That won't be a problem anyway. I've chosen to keep this face."

"You have? Why?"

"I like it," he shrugged. "And it will obviously be useful in future if I'm going to work beside somebody with a mortal family."

"You say that like you know we've changed the future already."

"I'm hopeful," he answered.

When they reached Sacrament's cabin he was already waiting for them at the door. Valkyrie waved in greeting and he nodded politely and ushered them inside. He wasted no time in guiding them to the basement and taking his seat in the chair. She watched him as the steam rose around them, tensed and waiting for a sign of anything moving in the roiling cloud. Ten minutes passed before Sacrament opened his eyes and smiled.

"It would appear that your untimely death has indeed been averted."

"That's so good to hear," she breathed, relief making her knees weak. "Thank you for looking."

"Well, it would seem we are indeed partners, Valkyrie." Skulduggery's words were cheerful as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Welcome to the Arbiter Corps."

"Do I get a cool gun and a badge?"

"Have you ever used a gun?"

"No."

"Then no. You get an ID card and you can stick to the quarterstaff. I'd prefer not to be killed by friendly fire."

"Would it even kill you?"

"Probably not, but it would damage my suit and that won't do." He turned to Sacrament. "Thank you for your help these last few days. Without it we may well have been in a very different position today."

"It's no trouble. Call on me whenever you need me," he said, nodding respectfully.

"Sorry that the visit is so brief. Unfortunately we have a criminal to interview today."

"Not to worry." The Sensitive walked them to the door, closing it as they drove away. Valkyrie's smile was so wide it made her cheeks hurt.

"You're in a good mood," Skulduggery observed.

"Of course I am, I'm not going to die."

"Yet."

"I love how optimistic you are."

"You love everything about me."

"Sure I do," she snorted. "You're not annoying _at all_."

"I'm a delight. Ask anyone." He thought for a second. "Well, except Fletcher. Or China. Or anybody I've ever arrested. And don't ask Dexter Vex either."

"That's a lot of people not to ask."

"It's not that many."

"It's enough." She looked out of the window at the countryside as it streaked past them. "So what kind of questions are we asking Requiem?"

"Well we need to know how he found out about the armour. And we need to know who helped him infect people besides Argent."

"And you think he's just going to tell us?"

"Absolutely not."

"So how do you make somebody talk that doesn't want to without beating them to within an inch of their life?"

"I like to irritate people."

"Yeah, I can see why you'd be good at that." He shot her a withering look as they passed the border of Roarhaven City, deactivating his facade as he drove. When they reached the Sanctuary he led them to the weird floating tiles, and Valkyrie felt her stomach lurch as it always did when they moved. She stepped off of it as soon as she could. "What's wrong with using a normal elevator?" she muttered. "Why does _everything_ here have to be magic?"

"China liked to show off when she was Supreme Mage." He turned as the Administrator approached them. "Ah, Cerise. I was looking for you."

"Arbiter Pleasant," she greeted politely. "Miss Cain."

"Actually, it's Arbiter Cain now," Skulduggery corrected. "I just need to get her an ID."

"Congratulations on your new job, Arbiter Cain. I assume the two of you are here for your interview with Requiem Jones?" Skulduggery nodded. "He is in interview room one now. Please ask the Cleavers to escort him back to the holding cells when you are finished." She turned away, tapping on her trusty tablet as she walked.

"Well, she seems to be in a good mood," Skulduggery mused. "Your ID should be ready by the time we finish with the interview. Cerise is very efficient."

"I still can't believe I'm not going to die."

"I can still shoot you if you'd like."

"Ha. Funny." He stopped outside the interview room and turned to face her.

"Since this is your first suspect interview I suggest you let me do the talking where possible. He might try to get under your skin. Don't let him. Are you ready?" She nodded. "Let's go." He opened the door to reveal Requiem sitting at a table with his wrists shackled to its surface. The fluorescent lighting made his scar stand out in sharp relief against his face. "Requiem Jones, I believe you know myself and my partner already. We need to ask you a few questions."

"Detective," he answered, smiling coldly. "Partner eh? And there was me thinking you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time." He turned his yellow eyes on Valkyrie and she suppressed the urge to shudder as they took the two chairs opposite him.

"Miss Cain is not somebody who would simply be in the wrong place," Skulduggery said smoothly. "I'd like you to tell me who was responsible for infecting innocent people after Argent was arrested. All I need is a name."

"Don't you want to know how I found the armour?"

"I believe I'm the one that's asking the questions here, Mr Jones."

"I find you highly underwhelming, I must say. After learning of your..._history_...I had expected somebody with more of a presence." The way he said 'history' made the hairs on Valkyrie's arms stand up. Skulduggery's head tilted.

"I'm sorry to disappoint."

"No matter. I'm sure I'll be more impressed by you soon."

"Your opinion of me holds absolutely no interest. I am here to gather information. If you aren't willing to answer my questions I will bid you goodbye and you'll be taken back to your cosy little cell."

"What about you, girl? Are you impressed by him?"

"My name is Valkyrie," she answered coolly. "And I'm not obliged to answer your questions."

"Loyal, isn't she?" Requiem mused, returning his attention to Skulduggery. "I wonder how loyal she'd be if she knew the truth."

"I'm sure I haven't the faintest idea what you mean. You have one more chance to answer my questions." Skulduggery seemed completely unaffected by Requiem as he spoke. "Who else was helping you?"

"I'll tell you who helped me. There are two names that you need. The first one if Maylen Dark." He grinned. "The second one is Auron Tenebrae." Valkyrie saw Skulduggery's fist clench so hard under the table that she was afraid his glove might split, but the rest of him gave no sign that the name meant anything to him.

"Maylen Dark is the Vampire responsible for infecting your victims, I assume?"

"You assume correctly. But dear Auron was my biggest help. I always intended to take over Haggard with my little army and use it as a...a _base of operations_, if you will."

"Why Haggard?" Valkyrie asked. Skulduggery didn't stop her.

"I'm not sure. I suppose I've always hated the town. Something about it just...irritates me. The opportunity to raze it to the ground and remake it as my own excited me. But when I came across Auron's writings a few days ago I was more than pleased." Valkyrie frowned. "Did you know Auron is responsible for your friend's...condition?" he asked. She shook her head. "Yes, indeed he was. He knows a lot about you, doesn't he Skulduggery?"

"It's difficult to know anything about anybody when you're dead," the skeleton replied. "How did you find the armour?" Requiem leaned forward, ignoring the clank of his chains.

"Lord Vile is an interesting character. He appeared in the middle of the war and swept across the battlefields like a tidal wave. The stories are _glorious_. He killed without mercy. He didn't care who was his enemy as long as he had one. In the dimension this city came from the war with Mevolent was lost because Vile never disappeared. The sheer power he weilded swung the tide in Mevolent's favour. I think that's beautiful, don't you? There's something so wonderfully simplistic in killing for killing's sake."

"Get to the point, Mr Jones."

"I wanted to know where that power had gone. Vile may have died, but I was certain his armour was still around. When I heard Baron Vengeous had found it I was overjoyed. Of course, Vengeous was killed and the armour was hidden again." He smiled, and the expression reminded Valkyrie of a snake. "I was interested in the person that managed to kill him and hide something so powerful, so naturally I did my research on you, Detective Pleasant."

"This is a wonderful story. Does it have an ending?" Valkyrie asked.

"It does. My research led me to the man that did this to you." He gestured to Skulduggery's skull. "I found Auron Tenebrae's diaries. Recordings of everything he found interesting. Imagine how surprised I was to find that Lord Vile himself isn't dead. In fact, he's very much alive." He sat back, pleased with himself. "I think you'd best keep a sharp eye on that armour, Skulduggery. Wouldn't want it to find it's owner again now, would we?" Valkyrie tried hard to look calm, but inside her heart was hammering in her chest.

"The armour is well guarded at a safe location, and it's no longer your concern Mr Jones. Thank you for your co-operation." Skulduggery stood and Valkyrie followed on numb legs. The Cleavers entered the room as soon as they left.

"How could Lord Vile be alive?" Valkyrie asked, the panic finally coming through.

"We don't know that he is," Skulduggery answered. "There are reports of the armour containing enough of his energy to animate itself when left unguarded, but the version of him it creates is incredibly weak. I think Requiem was confusing it with Lord Vile."

"And who's Auron Tenebrae?"

"As far as I know he's dead."

"I asked who he was though."

"Can we talk about this later?"

"Do you promise to tell me who he is?"

"I do once we're out of the Sanctuary. I prefer not to discuss my personal life when surrounded by Cleavers with China Sorrows close by."

"Fair enough." He led her back to the foyer where Cerise greeted them like she knew they were coming.

"Arbiter Cain, your ID is ready." She handed the plastic card to Valkyrie. "It will grant you access to the Sanctuary should you need it, and can be used to identify yourself when enforcing the law and making arrests. This card gives you the authority to act outside of the laws of our Sanctuaries, but please be aware that any abuse of your position will be met with appropriate opposition."

"Thank you," Valkyrie answered, slipping the ID into her pocket. Cerise nodded and left them again. Skulduggery led her back to his car, deep in thought as he walked. She didn't try to interrupt him until they were back on the roads.

"Why did the name Auron Tenebrae bother you so much?" she asked when she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"What Requiem said is true. He was the man responsible for my current situation. Serpine's intent was to torture and kill me. Auron was the man that taught him the technique of the red right hand. It's what was used to end my life and also to kill your uncle. When Serpine told Auron he wanted to kill me, Auron tried to protect me by altering the spells. Instead of ending me, the act of killing me with his right hand would bind my soul to my body."

"So if he hadn't burned you then you'd still have skin and everything?"

"That's right."

"Why did Auron want to protect you if he was helping Serpine?" Skulduggery hesitated.

"You know how you can manipulate elemental magic and practice Necromancy?" She nodded. "...So can I."

"_What? _Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not something I willingly share because of people like Tenebrae. He did this to me because he saw that I could practice both disciplines. Being magically ambidexterous makes people like us stronger, but it can be dangerous for us if the wrong people know. Auron saw my potential and altered Serpine's spell because he hoped to use me later."

"Wow, that's heavy."

"Is that why Requiem kept talking about your history?"

"That's part of it yes. Lord knows what else he read in Tenebrae's diaries. Either way, we have a name for the other Vampire and Requiem is headed for the Gaol. The armour is safe and you no longer get shot in the head or stabbed in the neck. I call that a win."

"So what do we do now?"

"We find some bad people and punch them in the face."

"That sounds fun," Valkyrie grinned. "I like that plan."

oO0Oo


	12. Chapter 12

_**Requiem: Chapter Twelve...**_

_**Thank you to all that have read this far, I really appreciate you doing that :) Love seeing the visitor count going up each day! If you really enjoyed it don't forget to favourite it or leave a review for me. I love feedback too if you think there's anything that could be done differently :) Also this chapter jumps ahead by a few months to move the story on.**_

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oO0Oo

"Any luck?" Valkyrie asked, looking up from the coffee she was nursing as Skulduggery and Tanith walked through her front door. She was curled up on the sofa with a book on a rare day off. She'd injured her arm the previous day in a fight and it was taking a while to heal, so Tanith had stepped in for her.

"None at all," Skulduggery answered. "Very few people have heard of Maylen Dark and those that have thought she was dead. As usual the Vampires in the Fang district won't talk and she's left no evidence to follow." They'd been searching for her for over four months with no luck. Requiem and Argent had both been sentenced and deposited in the Gaol cells, the Infected had been cured and released or assimilated into the Fang district with very little fuss, and the armour remained safely locked away in the Sanctuary. The only loose end was Maylen.

"Stupid Vampires and their code," Tanith muttered. "Even when it threatens the safety of others they're more bothered about protecting each other."

"So they're all friends then?" Valkyrie asked, closing the book and laying it on the coffee table.

"Oh no, they hate her," Skulduggery answered. "But their code demands that they protect their own. They have confirmed that she isn't in the Fang district and if she was she would be forcibly removed, but they won't say any more than that. So yet again it appears we've hit a dead end." Tanith dropped onto the other empty sofa and propped her legs up on the arm as Skulduggery sat next to his partner, letting the facade flow away.

"She's got to slip up at some point," Valkyrie said. "We'll get her. How's Scapegrace doing?"

"He's as irritating as he's always been."

"The Killer Supreme," Tanith snorted. "Imagine calling yourself that when you've never actually killed anyone."

"He was bragging that he broke your arm," Skulduggery said. "How is it by the way?"

"Healing," Val smiled. "And it was the _bartender_ that broke my arm. He literally had nothing to do with it."

"That's what I said. He decided that if he'd picked a different bar you would never have broken it so by proxy he was responsinble."

"Criminal logic," Val tutted, shaking her head. Skulduggery chuckled.

"In the meantime we have a new case to occupy our attention. It's our first undercover case together."

"That sounds exciting," Valkyrie answered, leaning forward eagerly.

"Somebody is posing as a buyer for magical artefacts, meeting with the sellers, leaving them horrifically injured and stealing the artefact. Not only is this person's unique ability threatening to expose magic to mortals with every attack, they've left several people so injured that they've died."

"What's unique about them?"

"The profile is a Neoteric with the ability to cut through flesh with a single touch."

"God, that sounds gruesome," Valkyrie wrinkled her nose.

"Yes, and it leaves some messy crime scenes, as you can imagine."

"It sounds gross, but I don't understand how that potentially exposes the magical community," she frowned.

"The bodies that are turning up are covered in hundreds upon hundreds of lacerations. Their organs inside are equally lacerated without their chest cavity ever being opened up."

"Ah. Got it," she nodded.

"The attacks and murders are concentrated around a small town a few miles outside of Dublin. The buyer gets the seller to go there and then attacks them and steals the artefacts." He brushed a speck of lint from the brim of his hat. "We'd be there for several days, possibly even a week or longer depending on how successful we are."

"You mean like a stake out?" Valkyrie's excitement peaked as a wide grin spread across her face. "We have the coolest job."

"We do," Skulduggery chuckled. "You'd need to tell your parents you won't be here."

"I'll tell them we're going on a trip. Not exactly a lie," she shrugged.

"Do they still think you two are dating?" Tanith asked.

"Yes," Skulduggery answered. "It's easier to explain my constant presence that way."

"I bet that makes for some interesting dinners," she grinned.

"It's super weird, my mum _loves_ him. I think if my dad paid more attention to what was happening around him he'd have the sense to get jealous," Valkyrie mused.

"It's not my fault she recognises charming wit and a sophisticated fashion sense. You wanted her to think we were dating and that's exactly what I made her think. You, on the other hand, splutter like a fool every time she mentions me." She could tell if he'd had eyebrows they'd be raised in mock innocence. Over the past few months she'd grown used to all of his nuances even without the facade.

"Aww, do you get all embarrassed Val?" Tanith propped herself up on her elbows and grinned at her.

"Shut up," Valkyrie muttered.

"She does. Melissa asked if she'd worked up the nerve to kiss me yet and she went so red I half expected her hair to catch fire," Skulduggery teased.

"You mean your mum thinks you've been together for almost five months without kissing?" It was Tanith's turn to raise her eyebrows. "Aren't you worried they'll start to suspect something?"

"Luckily for us, Melissa has accepted that Valkyrie's awkward spluttering has prevented it up to now," Skulduggery answered before she could say anything. He turned back to her, head tilted in amusement. "You know, after our stake out you're going to have to pretend you have. You can't go away with your boyfriend for a week and continue to pretend you never touch him."

"I'll get round to it," she muttered, her ears turning red at the thought of her mother once again interrogating her on what their relationship was like. "My mum just asks some very direct questions."

"She asked what my lips tasted like," he told Tanith, who cackled loudly in response.

"You don't have to _tell_ her, moron," Val grumbled.

"But it's funny," he shrugged.

"When do we head off anyway?" She tried to steer the conversation back to safer waters.

"This evening. Vex gave me the file this morning after interrogating the Idiot Supreme. He has accomodation sorted in the centre of the town."

"So will we be tailing this guy in the dark and staying hidden?"

"Nope. We have three suspects. One of them frequents a local bar twice a week. We'll start with him. The second is a man that has been posing as a mortal for a long time. The last suspect likes to eat dinner at the best restaurant in town. My plan is to follow the three of them in plain sight. We can get close enough to listen to their interactions that way."

"But everyone knows what I look like," she frowned. "They'll recognise me immediately."

"That's what this is for," he answered, pulling a necklace out of his pocket and passing it to her. She turned it over in her palm, noticing the symbol carved into the back of the pendant. "A China Sorrows special," he told her.

"She made me a facade?"

"She did. I don't wear mine often enough during cases for word to have spread, so we felt I would get away with using my usual face. You, however, are now famous enough in the magical community that you need to look different."

"This should be interesting," Tanith grinned, sitting up as Valkyrie let the skeleton sweep her hair to the side and fasten the necklace around her throat. The light brush of his gloved fingers on her skin tickled enough to make her squirm.

"All you need to do is touch the pendant," he said. Valkyrie touched it and felt the facade flow over her skin. It was strange, like a layer of makeup that was just a tad too heavy. She stood up to look in the mirror, blinking in surprise. Her dark hair had been replaced by soft crimson curls. Her face was rounder and her eyes were wider and hazel coloured instead of their usual brown. A smattering of freckles littered her cheeks, and the cheekbones were lower than she was used to. She looked down at her arms to find one of them encased in an intricate tattoo sleeve that extended across her collar bone and over the back of her hand. She had several earrings in one ear.

"This is super weird," she said quietly, feeling vaguely creeped out as the lips of the stranger moved and her voice came out. She flashed back suddenly to the weird dream she'd had about Lord Vile and the girl calling herself Darquesse, but she shut that thought out as quickly as she could.

"You look so different," Tanith said, getting up to flick one of the red curls that now sprouted from her head.

"It's weird. Is this how you felt when you first saw the facade?" She turned to Skulduggery, who was watching her in silence with his head cocked.

"Somewhat," he answered. "Oh, Doctor Raze sent this for you. She asked me to make sure you use it before we head out." He pulled more of the yellow rock out of his pocket. Valkyrie smiled gratefully; she'd run out of it the day before thanks to yet another punch up. She loved her new job but Skulduggery had her ending up in the Infirmary far too often.

"Awesome." She touched the pendant, letting the facade disappear as she took the rock from him. He pulled out his pocket watch.

"I would say now would be a good time to call your parents to say you're going away, and then it would be best for you to use the rock and pack some things," he said. "We leave in a few hours."

"I'll tell An and Jordy for you," Tanith said with a smile.

"Thanks." She slipped her phone out of her pocket and dialled her mother's number. "Hey mum."

"Steph? Hi sweetheart. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to let you know I can't babysit Alice for a week. I'm going away."

"Ooh, anywhere nice?"

"Somewhere outside of Dublin," she answered.

"What's the place called?" Valkyrie panicked for a second. Skulduggery hadn't given her the name.

"Uh...It's a surprise," she said quickly.

"Oh, _I see_. It's a spontaneous romantic getaway is it?"

"Something like that." The room was quiet enough that she knew Tanith and Skulduggery could both hear everything her mother said.

"That sounds lovely. How wonderful, I wish Des would whisk me away somewhere nice." Melissa sighed dreamily. "He's probably got you a lovely little cottage in the hills, just the two of you and the countryside."

"Maybe," Valkyrie mumbled, feeling her cheeks begin to heat again.

"And you'll _have_ to kiss him this time Steph. You can't keep the poor man waiting much longer." Tanith snickered and Valkyrie saw Skulduggery's head tilt in a smug manner.

"Mum, you know I don't like talking about that," she muttered. "I didn't call to discuss my relationship."

"I'm sorry, don't get angry. It's just that Doug is such a nice man and you'd be a fool to let him go. He won't wait forever."

"Something tells me he would," she answered, glaring at Skulduggery as he chuckled.

"Well I hope you enjoy your trip dear, take plenty of pictures for me."

"I will. Love you mum."

"Love you too, sweetie." The call clicked off and Tanith let out the laugh she'd been holding in.

"I thought you were joking when you said she loved him but she really does, doesn't she?" she chortled.

"She does. She mentions him literally every time we talk." Val rolled her eyes, scowling at her partner. "This is your fault."

"What did I do?"

"You encourage her."

"How?"

"Last time she asked if we'd kissed you pulled that stupid sad face and said no."

"Oh, that _was_ funny. You looked so angry."

"You're the one that's happy to make her believe you could keep my attention romantically for so long without coming anywhere near me," he answered. She could hear the smile in his voice. "If you'd just say yes when she asked she wouldn't ask you every time."

"But then she'll make me talk about it," Valkyrie whined, screwing up her face. "And I don't know what to say."

"It's easy. You _lie_," Tanith interjected. "If you just humour her she'll get over it eventually."

"That's what I said," Skulduggery agreed.

"I'm gonna go take a bath," Valkyrie glowered, stomping out of the room as the pair laughed at her. By the time she reached the bathroom her cheeks were scarlet. She set the taps going and sat on the edge of the tub. She'd thought about saying she had kissed him, but she knew her mother would ask for a blow by blow retelling of how it happened and what it was like. The thought of having to describe something like that with Skulduggery made her stomach flip strangely. So far she'd done a good job of not pursuing that feeling, and she didn't intend to start any time soon.

She stewed in silence until the bath was full and the rock was dissolved, then gingerly undressed and removed the sling and bandages from around her broken arm. Slipping into the water was heavenly. The ache in the cracked bone dulled immediately, and she sighed and sat there for a while, letting her anxious thoughts settle as steam floated around her and the magic rock healed her bruises and scrapes.

She stepped out of the water eventually and towelled her hair dry before tugging on a thick bath robe and heading to her bedroom. She pulled out a few things and put them in her small suitcase, careful not to injure her newly healed arm. She deliberated over what to take for a minute before shrugging and putting the only dress she owned into the case with a pair of strappy heels she never wore. When she was done she pulled on her protective clothing, grateful that the fabric never creased or got dirty. When she was done she let her hair hang loose to dry naturally and took her case into the living room.

"Your arm looks better," Tanith said.

"That rock works wonders. It's still kinda sore but the bone is healed now. It just feels like a bruise."

"We'll have to be careful on this case," Skulduggery said. "The last thing I want is for you to end up in the Infirmary _again_. Doctor Raze will use my bones as furniture if you keep getting punched."

"Stop making people want to punch us then," she retorted. He laughed. "I didn't know what to take so I just packed whatever I could find."

"I don't suppose it matters too much as long as you've packed enough for a week."

"Oh wait. My mum asked us to take pictures. What do we do about that?"

"...We take pictures," he said slowly.

"I mean if we can't be seen in public without the my facade how are we supposed to take photos of ourselves?"

"We'll figure it out, I'm sure," he answered. She arched an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Nothing. I just don't like it when you spring things on me and then act like you're not worried at all."

"But I'm not worried," he answered.

"What's to worry about?" asked Tanith.

"Everything," Valkyrie muttered. "Never mind. Are we going or what?"

"You want to head off early?"

"Is our accomodation ready now?"

"Yes."

"No time like the present then." She shrugged on her heavy coat and set her hands on her hips as he stood and activated his facade, the square jaw and piercing green eyes returning in an instant.

"You two love birds have fun now," Tanith simpered, grinning as she ducked the cushion Valkyrie aimed at her head. "I'll see you when you get back." She waggled her fingers at them as they headed out of the door. Skulduggery put Valkyrie's case in the boot beside his own as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Shouldn't we take my car if we're going under cover? The Bentley isn't exactly subtle."

"I'm not leaving my car behind for a week," he answered. "And I'm _definitely_ not driving a Kia."

"Who said you'd be driving?"

"Me."

"Are you the authority these days then?"

"That's how our whole dynamic works. I lead the charge with sparkling humour and intelligence, smashing down doors and arresting bad guys, and you follow me around like a puppy and hang off my every word." She elbowed him. "Ouch."

"Moron."

"You love it."

"Sure."

"You'd be lost without me."

"Uh huh."

"You're no fun today." She didn't answer. "Are you worried you might fall in love with me if we spend a week alone together?"

"In your dreams," she muttered.

"You're blushing."

"I am not!"

"Tell your cheeks that."

"Skulduggery?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

oO0Oo


	13. Chapter 13

**_Requiem: Chapter Thirteen..._**

oO0Oo

There was one glaringly obvious problem as they stepped into their hotel room. It really was just a _room._ There was a TV on the wall opposite the double bed and a small balcony. The door to the tiny bathroom was to the left, next to the narrow wardrobe. It was nice enough, and the furniture was new and clean, but it was tightly packed. The bedroom had a large mirror on one side and glass doors on the other, meaning every inch of the room was reflected back at them. The bathroom was barely big enough to stand in, and the door opened inwards, making it awkward to squeeze round so it could be closed.

"Oh," Valkyrie said as she looked around.

"This is much smaller than I'd thought it would be," Skulduggery answered.

"Who booked it?"

"Dexter."

"He knows we're not _actually_ dating, right?"

"He does."

"Then why did he book a room with one bed and no privacy?"

"I believe this is his idea of a joke." Skulduggery looked around the room again. "A bad one."

"Remind me to strangle him when we get back."

"I'm afraid you'll have to get in line." He put their small cases on the bed and frowned at their surroundings. "Could you change in the bathroom?"

"I can barely even _stand_ in the bathroom," she answered. He poked his head inside and she saw him sigh. He pulled out his phone and dialled a number.

"Dexter? I am going to kill you." He paused. "Why do you think? Of _course_ it's the room." He scowled as he listened to the reply. "It's _not funny_." He sagged. "Fine. You'd better hope I don't get back before you leave for Australia," he growled. The line went dead and he looked back at Valkyrie. "Don't hit me."

"Why would I hit you?"

"Just say you won't hit me."

"Fine, I won't hit you."

"Dexter won't change the room. We're stuck here."

"What are we gonna do? I'm not getting changed in front of you. And I can't sleep with you in the same room, I'll feel like you're watching me."

"Why would I want to watch you sleep? You're boring enough when you're awake."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome." She hit him. "You said you wouldn't hit me."

"I had my fingers crossed."

"Traitor," he muttered."Unfortunately we're going to have to make the best of it."

"You'd better keep your damn eyes shut while I'm changing."

"I don't technically have eyes."

"Don't be smart."

"I'm always smart."

"Do you want me to hit you again?"

"Alright, alright," he put his hands up to ward off her anger, grinning again before he glanced around and frowned. "There's nowhere to sit. Even the balcony doesn't have a chair on it."

"What kind of hotel room doesn't have a chair in it?"

"This one, apparently." He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wardrobe. "I can't even sit somewhere else and meditate while you sleep to make you more comfortable."

"The only place to sit is the bed," she groaned. "This is so _awkward_."

"Unfortunately we'll have to suck it up. If we waste time returning home until a new room can be booked somebody else could die."

"You're right. We can make this work. It's only a few days."

"Exactly." He checked the time. "And our first suspect should be heading to his favourite bar this evening, so we'll be out until later on anyway. His name is Bones McCleaver."

"Bones McCleaver? Seriously?"

"Yes. It's a ridiculous name. Hopefully he'll be an equally ridiculous man." She nodded, tucking her red hair behind her ears as she unzipped the suitcase and put her clothes in the wardrobe. When she was done she did the same with Skulduggery's things while he went through the manila folder he had on the three suspects. The facade made it feel like she was wearing an uncomfortable body suit, so she shut the curtains and let it go.

"I don't know how you wear your facade so easily," she said. "It feels weird."

"I've had years to get used to it. Also it will feel different for me because I have no skin for it to cover." He looked back down at the folder before speaking again. "You should change into something suitable for a bar. If we go soon we can get there before him."

"Alright." She opened the wardrobe and took out a pair of tight jeans and a red crop top that she'd never worn. After a minute she pulled out her short leather jacket and the black heels she _also_ never wore. "Turn around," she warned. He raised an eyebrow and did as he was told. She changed as quickly as she could, almost stumbling as she shimmied the jeans over her hips. "You can look now." He turned back and cocked his head.

"Why do you even own clothes you don't wear?"

"You can't seriously tell me you wear every single one of your suits."

"I certainly do."

"You have a problem."

"I think the word you meant was _style_." He unfastened his tie and slipped off his jacket as he spoke. She turned away to read the file he'd been holding as he changed his own clothes. "You can turn around now," he said eventually. As he fixed his hair it was Valkyrie's turn to raise an eyebrow. He looked like one of the guys she'd seen in the cologne adverts on TV. He wore a pair of distressed grey jeans and a close-fitting white t-shirt, with black boots and a black leather jacket. His usually neat side-parted hair was mussed, with a few strands falling over his forehead. In his new clothes his broad shoulders were more prominent. She felt that strange flip in her stomach again."What?"

"Casual weirdly suits you." She activated the facade again and began putting red lipstick on her unfamiliar lips.

"Everything suits me."

"Moron." He flashed her a grin, showing his perfect teeth.

"Am I presentable enough to be seen in public with you?" he asked.

"You'll do." He chuckled and made a move to leave the room. "Are we not taking weapons?" She applied mascara as she spoke.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I have nowhere to hide a gun, and your quarterstaff doesn't exactly fit under your jacket."

"Yeah but we're off to go stake out a potential criminal."

"Stake out. Not attack." She rolled her eyes and put the makeup away. "Stop complaining and hurry up." She followed him out of the room and through the hotel. He offered her his arm as they walked, playing along with the dating couple thing they'd started. She tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, marvelling again at how solid his arm felt.

"This is cosy," she grinned.

"Don't be an idiot," he answered, but he was smiling.

"What's the plan then?"

"What do you think we should do?"

"Find somewhere to sit, order a drink and wait for him to come in. If he stops too far away from us I can say I'm going to the bathroom and then stop closer to him when I come back. You can join me afterwards."

"Sounds good to me." They walked in companionable silence until they reached the bar in question. The glowing sign above the door told her the place was called Bar Red. The bouncer ushered them in without asking for ID, and Skulduggery guided her to the bar. "What are you drinking?"

"A beer is fine," she answered. He bought their drinks and they took a booth in the corner that offered them a good view of the space, choosing to sit on the same side as one another so they could both see. Skulduggery angled himself towards her to hide the fact that he was observing people. "This is weird," she said.

"You're saying that far too much lately."

"It is though. You're not wearing a suit."

"Hmm. I suppose that _is_ strange. But in a place like this a suit might be out of the ordinary, don't you think?" She glanced around at the faded posters on the walls and the tattooed and pierced people sat nearby.

"Yeah, you'd stick out like a sore thumb." He chuckled, surveying their surroundings even as he maintained their easy conversation. She found herself actually beginning to enjoy the night. She loved being an Arbiter, and the excitement of another case was massive for her, but she also found she liked spending time socially with Skulduggery. He made her laugh and he was interesting. More interesting than most people she knew, actually.

"He's here." She followed his gaze subtly and found a man with a bald head and a beard had entered and walked to the bar. He had tattoos that were meant to look like his skin had been torn to reveal the bones underneath, and he was covered in rippling muscle.

"This guys strikes me as an 'openly punch you in the face and take your stuff in broad daylight' kind of guy. Definitly not somebody who'd lure people into a dark park and rob them," she said.

"He does look like he prefers to smash things."

"We're gonna have to get closer if he stays over there."

"Let's wait and see what he does." They waited for another ten minutes before deciding he wasn't going to move.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom then. I'll meet you by the bar." He nodded as she got up and headed to the toilets. As she passed, a burly man with a lip piercing leered at her. She avoided his gaze and ducked through the door, glad to find the bathroom empty. She looked at herself in the mirror. With her pierced ears and red lips she looked even more unfamiliar. The facade stared back uncomfortably. She waited a minute or two before heading back out.

"Hey pretty girl," said a low voice as she left, and a hand on her arm made her turn. "Haven't seen you here before."

"I'm not from around here," she said warily. It was the man who'd leered at her on her way into the bathroom. She glanced around for Skulduggery but he wasn't in the booth.

"Have a drink with me. Maybe I could show you the sights." He winked, taking a step closer to her. She backed up automatically but the wall was behind her. "You're awful pretty. You got any other tattoos on that body of yours?"

"None that I want to show you," she answered. She could take him if she had to, but starting a bar fight would blow their cover. He took another step towards her.

"Aww don't be like that. I'm sure you'd like me if you got to know me."

"The only person she'll be 'getting to know' tonight is _me_," said a velvety voice from beside her, and then Skulduggery was there, leaning over her protectively with his arm braced against the wall beside her head. "Beat it."

"And who are you to tell me to go anywhere?" Skulduggery's eyes flashed as he sized up the burly man.

"Her boyfriend. If you'd like me to make you leave I'd be happy to. Of course, you may not have as many teeth as you did when you came in." The stranger narrowed his eyes, considering his options before scowling and walking away. "Are you alright?" Skulduggery stayed close as he turned back to look at her.

"I'm fine. I could've handled that you know."

"Not without punching somebody. Men like that don't back off if they don't feel threatened. And dressed as you are, you look anything _but_ threatening."

"Oh. Well then thanks I guess."

"My pleasure." He smiled again and Valkyrie marvelled at how young he looked. In fact, all the faces she'd seen him wear were young.

"Why do you always look twenty two?" she asked. He blinked, surprised by her question.

"What makes you ask that?"

"I dunno. I guess seeing you like this just makes me wonder."

"Like what?"

"You know. Casual." He arched an eyebrow, but humoured her.

"I looked this age when I died," he explained, keeping his voice low so that only she could hear. "The facade is tuned to my aura, which in turn remembers my physical condition at the time. The body of the facade is an exact replica of my own. It's only the face that changes. It wouldn't make sense to have a young body and an old face."

"Hmm. I suppose that's fair," she nodded, satisfied with his answer. He slipped an arm around her waist and led her to the bar, shooting a smug wink at the idiot with the lip ring as they passed. "Don't goad him."

"I couldn't resist." They sidled closer to their target and Valkyrie leaned back against the bar, keeping him in her periphery. Skulduggery kept up the ruse, staying close to her as he faced her, one hand resting on the wooden surface very close to her waist. She ignored the goosebumps that rippled across her skin, concentrating instead on what the bald man was saying.

"It doesn't sound like he's saying anything noteworthy to his friends," she said, making sure she couldn't be heard by anybody but her partner.

"No it doesn't."

"I'll be honest, I don't think this is our guy. I'm not getting that vibe from him."

"Neither am I, but I've been wrong before. We'll wait a while, tail him when he leaves and if we don't hear anything of interest we'll find suspect number two in the morning." He cocked his head. "The sooner we find and observe each one the better. It gives us more time to double back and observe them again later if we have to." The bald man glanced over at them and Valkyrie laughed and tucked her red hair behind her ears, touching Skulduggery's arm. He caught on quickly and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "This is very strange when you don't look like yourself."

"Are you saying it wouldn't be strange to fake flirt if I _did_ look like myself?"

"Flirting with you would always be strange because you're terrible at it."

"I'm excellent at flirting."

"Who told you that? Because they're wrong." Skulduggery fell silent for a second, still listening to McCleaver, who was talking about a golf trip with his friends.

"He doesn't look like the kind of guy to play golf," Valkyrie mused. "He looks like casual murder might be more his thing."

"As opposed to formal murder?"

"Shut up."

"I can't. Then we'd be stood here in silence looking very strange."

"You already look strange. I think I prefer you in a suit."

"I prefer me in a suit too."

"At least you got to wear boots." She could still hear McCleaver talking about golf, and she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes, choosing instead to flash a smile at Skulduggery. "I got stuck in these stupid heels."

"Nobody told you to wear them."

"Do you really think my armoured boots would go with this top?"

"I don't think armoured _anything_ goes with that top. There's hardly any top _there_."

"It's not that bad. It feels weird to have my stomach out though." She glanced down at herself. "Although it's not really _my_ stomach. I don't have freckles." They continued chatting and listening like that for several hours, until McCleaver finally made a move to leave. They waited a minute and then followed. Valkyrie twisted her fingers through Skulduggery's and he reciprocated like it was the most natural thing in the world for him.

"I'm surprised how easy you're finding this considering you haven't had a girlfriend for years," she said.

"I told you I'm still capable of having relationships. Why is that so hard to believe?"

"I guess it isn't anymore really," she answered. "It seems natural to you." He smiled.

"It isn't, if I'm honest. But it's getting easier to get used to it now." McCleaver disappeared around a corner and he tugged her along a little faster than before, pausing as they reached the junction. They let go of one another and followed him in silence after that, focussed on tailing him until he reached his home.

"Well, that was disappointing," Valkyrie said as the bald man disappeared into his house.

"Indeed it was. I don't think this is our man. So tomorrow we'll flag down suspect number two." They stayed near McCleaver's house, concealed in the shadows until his lights flickered off, then headed back to the hotel together. Valkyrie's feet were throbbing by the time they got back to their room.

"I _hate_ these stupid shoes," she muttered, kicking them off and letting the facade disappear as she flopped onto the bed. Skulduggery chuckled and shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on the back of the door before turning to face her.

"Once again, nobody told you to wear them."

"I didn't have any others." She propped herself up on her elbows to look at him. "So who's the second suspect?"

"Emmet Slight."

"The one that's been living as a mortal?"

"Yes."

"Why have the Sanctuary decided he's a suspect?"

"Haven't the foggiest, but we agreed to work with them so we have to go with their leads first. If they don't pan out then we can follow our own."

"And what if he's another strike out like McCleaver was?"

"Then we follow our third man. If he also turns up nothing then we start again and tail them for longer. If that doesn't work then we ignore them completely and do our own thing."

"That could take weeks."

"Then we'd best hope one of these three is our criminal." He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wardrobe again, a faint ridge forming between his eyebrows. "In the meantime I suppose we should discuss our...situation."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a very small room."

"I know that."

"And I don't really fancy standing in the corner the whole time." She sat up and chewed her lip.

"I didn't expect you to," she said eventually. "What do you want to do?"

"Personally I'm not particularly uncomfortable around you."

"And that means?"

"We're adults. If you're happy for me to take half the bed then I will. If not then I'll meditate on the floor."

"Is there even enough _room_ on the floor?" she asked doubtfully, eyeing the thin strip of space around the edges of the bed.

"I'm sure I'd manage."

"Don't be stupid. I'm just concerned about waking up next to a skeleton and having a small heart attack."

"I'm not going to be removing the facade while we're here."

"You aren't?"

"No. If somebody were to wander in while I was meditating and you were sleeping, like the hotel maid for example, that wouldn't be the best would it?"

"I guess not." She considered it for a moment before shrugging. "Sure, alright then. But keep your hands to yourself."

"Don't be an idiot, Valkyrie."

"But that's why you love me," she grinned. He chuckled, shaking his head as he pushed away from the wardrobe and unlaced his boots. "Did you bring anything to sleep in?"

"I don't sleep."

"You know what I mean, moron. Did you bring anything to wear to bed?"

"I have a pair of jogging bottoms that will do." She turned away while he changed, checking her phone in case she'd missed any calls. There was a message from her mum telling her to have fun, and one from Tanith saying she'd broken the microwave. She groaned. "Everything alright?"

"Tanith broke the microwave," she answered, turning automatically to speak to him. Her eyes widened. He was stood with his back to her, tying the waistband of his joggers to keep them up, his torso bare. He'd said the body of the facade was an exact replica of how he'd looked when he died. If that was true then he'd looked _good_. She turned away quickly, her cheeks turning pink in an instant. The image of muscles rolling languidly beneath his skin was burned into her eyelids even as she tried to blink it away.

"She's been alone for five minutes," he said, his voice muffled as he pulled a shirt over his head. "Ghastly will have his hands full if he ever asks her to move in with him."

"It's probably safer for him not to ask. She might burn his house down," she mumbled.

"Are you alright?"

"Sure," she said quickly. "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"I'm concerned that my new apartment is going to be destroyed when I get back," she lied.

"I'm sure it'll be alright." The mattress shifted beside her and she allowed herself to look back at him as he settled against the headboard of the bed. Her heart was racing and her cheeks still felt hot, though if he noticed he didn't comment. She cursed inwardly, unable to ignore the ridiculous reaction she was having to him. _It's just the facade. It's just because the facade is attractive. That's all. _But even as she told herself that, she knew it wasn't true. It was _all_ of him. Somewhere along the line, she'd developed feelings for Skulduggery.

oO0Oo


	14. Chapter 14

**_Requiem: Chapter Fourteen..._**

**_Thank you for all the reads and for the two lovely reviews I've had, I'm so pleased to see them :) Here's the next chapter for you all :)_**

* * *

oO0Oo

"You can uncover your eyes now." Skulduggery was laid down with an arm crooked over his face as Valkyrie got changed for bed. He tucked the arm behind his head as she crawled under the sheets, looking up at the ceiling.

"It's strange to be in a bed," he said after a moment. "I normally meditate in a chair."

"There aren't any chairs."

"I _know_ that. We've established that already."

"Then why mention the chair?" He turned and looked at her for several seconds before speaking again.

"You are _so_ annoying."

"You were the one that asked me to be your partner. I've told you before that you signed up for this."

"Do I have the option to go back on my request?"

"Sorry, no refunds."

"Damn." She chuckled, more relaxed than she'd been a few minutes ago. She was tired enough that she felt her eyelids drooping. She yawned, and Skulduggery leaned over to the wall lamp and switched it off. The darkness only served to make her more tired. "Go to sleep, Valkyrie."

"Night," she mumbled, turning over as her eyelids betrayed her.

oO0Oo

She woke as it was starting to get lighter outside, warm beneath the blankets. It took her a minute to recognise the hotel room as she blinked groggily. Her pillow felt weirdly solid. And was it _breathing_?

"Good morning." Skulduggery's voice was bright, and very close. She lifted her head to find she'd grabbed him in the night. "I didn't have you pegged as a cuddler." She blushed, drawing a chuckle from him as she shuffled away.

"Why didn't you push me off?" she asked, mortified.

"I only came around a few minutes ago myself." He grinned. "Also I tried but you wouldn't let go."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. He chuckled.

"Don't be, it doesn't bother me. Although if you wanted to cuddle you could've just asked." She hit him with her pillow, drawing another laugh from him.

"If you tell Tanith about this I'm going to donate your bones to a museum."

"That's not very nice."

"If you don't tell Tanith you have nothing to worry about."

"Valkyrie, calm down. It isn't a big deal. I won't say anything."

"You mean it?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

"You don't have a heart."

"I know."

"And you're already dead."

"I know that too." She scowled at him. "I promise I won't tell her." He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "We should get ready. Emmet will be starting his day soon."

"Where do we start?"

"The Sanctuary have said he will be near the local school in the next hour. Perhaps he has a child that goes there."

"Why would somebody with a kid risk everything to steal magical objects from willing sellers after spending his life deliberately concealing himself in the mortal world?"

"I'm not sure. In all honesty I'm not hopeful about this suspect either. The current Sanctuary Detectives are woefully underwhelming."

"You can say that again." Skulduggery turned away as she slipped out of her pyjamas and pulled on a jumper and some jeans. "I miss wearing protective clothing."

"Unfortunately they would have you recognised in no time."

"And what will you be wearing today?" she asked, turning back to him.

"If you would stop watching me I could show you." She rolled her eyes and looked away. She heard the quiet rustle of fabric and a couple of minutes later he told her she could look. When she turned around he was stood in a red t-shirt and a black zip-up hoodie. His black jeans were skinny and his shoes were designer.

"You know, for someone who literally owns nothing but suits, you're pulling out some pretty impressive wardrobe changes."

"You can blame Ghastly for that. He gathered some things he thought would work and insisted I bring them with me." He pushed his hair back from his face in its usual sandy side-parted wave.

"It's super weird that you wear the casual look so well. It makes you look younger."

"Are you saying I usually look old?"

"Not old. _Older_. There's a difference." She paused. "Although usually you look like a skeleton, so technically you could look like a fifty year old and I'd never know."

"Does this conversation have a point?"

"Not really."

"Can we end it then?"

"I can see you're in an excellent mood today."

"I'd be in a better mood if I thought this investigation was going to go anywhere." He tugged at the front of his shirt, frowning at the thin fabric as he adjusted it.

"What makes you think it won't?"

"There seems to be no obvious reason why these people have been chosen as suspects, other than the fact that they were sighted near the most recent crime scene." He sighed. "I despair at the state of the Sanctuary's investigative capabilities."

"You _despair_ at it? That's a strong word. I mean annoyed yeah, I get that. Irritated. Irked, maybe."

"When have you ever heard me use the word _irked_?"

"Okay, vexed then." He considered the word for a moment, then nodded.

"Vexed. That fits. We'll go with that one." Valkyrie rolled her eyes and activated her facade before sweeping her new red curls into a high ponytail and slipping into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Once she managed to squeeze round the door and was standing back in the main room she nodded to her partner.

"Right, I'm ready. Let's go."

oO0Oo

"It's not him, is it?"

"I'm afraid not," Skulduggery replied, watching Emmet Slight as he hurried along with a large backpack slung over his shoulder. They'd assumed he'd be dropping off a child and then heading off to work. That was _not_ the case.

"He's fifteen. He's literally a _fifteen year old kid_." Emmet bounded into the school gates and disappeared inside as his mother leaned out the car window and called out a goodbye before driving away.

"I think we can safely discount him for now. We should concentrate on our third and final suspect before abandoning this ridiculous wild goose chase and doing what Arbiters do."

"And that is?"

"Punching people in the face and arresting the bad guys," Skulduggery said with a smile.

"That sounds like much more fun." She sipped her coffee, her eyes on the school gates from the cafe they sat in across the street. "So we know McCleaver and Slight are pretty much guaranteed dead ends. That leaves Magnus."

"It does. Percival Magnus eats dinner at the best restaurant in town three nights a week. That's where we'll be starting our chase."

"Can't we go find him now?"

"Why bother searching all over for him when we know where he'll definitely be tonight?"

"Fine," she grumbled. "What do we do until then?"

"I'm not sure."

"Stake outs are way more boring than I thought."

"Who told you they were fun?"

"You did."

"Did I? I don't remember that."

"You literally said it on the drive from Haggard."

"Are you sure it wasn't a figment of your imagination?"

"Why would I imagine you saying it?"

"I don't know. That's between you and your subconscious."

"You're such an idiot." She finished her coffee and got to her feet. "Come on, if we're stuck here for the day we might as well do something."

"Where are we going?"

"To the cinema."

"Why would we be going there?"

"Because there's a new zombie movie I want to see and you owe me popcorn for lying about how fun stake outs are."

"But I hate zombies," he said, wrinkling his nose.

"Tough." He refused to move for a moment, and then he sagged and followed her. She grinned as she listened to him grumble something about her being bull headed.

oO0Oo

"You have terrible taste in movies," Skukduggery said for the fifteenth time. Valkyrie rolled her eyes and continued drying her damp hair with the world's worst hairdryer. "Why won't you let me lift the moisture out of your hair? It'll take much less time."

"Do you always repeat the same things over and over again until someone punches you?"

"Usually."

"Dork." He was standing by the TV, looking exceedingly handsome in an elegant black three piece suit and a crisp white shirt, fiddling with his cuff links. He looked anything _but_ a dork even without the facade. She was pleased to see the familiar his cheekbones of his skull.

"You're staring at me again."

"It's just weird to see you back in a suit after looking like a boring normal for two days," she lied. "And it's been a while since you've gone without the facade."

"It feels like home. I miss my hat." He fastened his tie with expert hands as she finished drying her hair. It fell in soft waves around her shoulders, though it wasn't shiny like her actual hair and she didn't like the red.

"I can't believe I have to wear those stupid shoes again," she moaned. The strappy black stilettos sat in the corner, staring at her.

"I'm sure I don't need to remind you that once upon a time something possessed you to buy them, which means at one point you liked them."

"That was before I had to actually wear them."

"Shoes are meant to be worn. It's their whole raison d'etre. Why else would you buy them?"

"I thought they looked nice," she shrugged. "Now I hate them."

"You and your shoes have a complicated relationship," he muttered. She shrugged and stood up, smoothing down the off-the-shoulder black dress she'd brought with her. It was the only dress she owned and it was uncomfortable and tight all the way down and too short, but it looked perfect for a posh restaurant. She wore her hair loose to hide the multiple piercings in the ear of the facade.

"Do you think the tattoo looks out of place?" she asked, gesturing at the ink down her arm.

"No. It actually looks nice."

"You sound surprised."

"I am. I don't like the facade. It isn't you."

"You wear one every day," she answered.

"Yes, but that is my _only_ face. If I had an actual face of my own I would prefer to use it. I was pointing out that you look nicer without the facade but you ruined it."

"It's not my fault you're terrible at complimenting people," she snorted. He tapped his collarbones and the facade flowed up over his skull, hiding the hollow eye sockets and gleaming teeth. She felt a slight tightening in her chest as she realised she missed seeing them.

"I'm excellent at complimenting people. I'm so subtle that people rarely realise I'm even doing it."

"That's because your bad at it. Usually you'd expect somebody to know when you're being nice so they can thank you."

"I prefer my way." She snorted, tugging on the stupid shoes and pulling the hem of her skirt down _again_. "I can't wait to get my trousers and jacket back on."

"Unfortunately you're going to have to wait." He checked the time. "We should leave or we'll miss our reservation."

"How did you know which table to book?"

"I just booked one as close to the best table in the house as I could. Magnus is the owner, it makes sense that they'd seat him well in his own restaurant." He opened the door for her as they left, making sure to lock it behind them before offering her his arm and guiding them outside. They passed a few people in the hallways that paid them no mind, and Valkyrie settled into the smooth leather passenger seat of the Bentley.

"I love this car," she said with a sigh.

"So do I."

"You should let me drive it."

"Absolutely not."

"But I'm your partner right?"

"Yes."

"And we're friends?"

"Yes."

"So that means you trust me?"

"I trust you with my life, but I do not trust you with my car."

"I'm a great driver."

"You're not driving my car."

"Spoil sport." The Bentley cruised through the streets with ease as they lapsed into silence. Eventually he pulled into a car park a few spaces away from a white Porsche with tinted windows and a private license plate that read 'M4 GNU5'. "Well, at least we know which car belongs to him."

"It seems subtlety is not his strong point."

"I'm not holding out much hope for this being our guy."

"Neither am I, but once we've discounted him we can take this investigation into our own hands and do it right."

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.

"Shall we?" She took his arm again and they entered the restaurant together. The waitress at the door smiled.

"Hi there, do you have a reservation?" She had bright eyes and short hair, and Valkyrie didn't miss how her eyes lingered on Skulduggery.

"We do. It should be a table for two under the name Douglas Wilson."

"I have it right here. If you'd like to follow me." She beamed at him and led them to a table in a well lit area of the restaurant with a perfect view of the table where Percival Magnus sat and ate his steak opposite a woman with long black hair. "Can I get you any drinks? We have a wonderful dry reisling on the menu at the moment."

"That sounds lovely," Skulduggery nodded. He held out Valkyrie's chair for her like a perfect gentleman before taking his own seat.

"My question to you," she said, keeping her voice low, "is how are you going to hide the fact that you don't eat in the middle of a crowded restaurant?"

"They have dishes made for sharing," he answered with a shrug.

"In a place like this?" She looked around at the expensive silverware and crystal glasses.

"All restaurants usually do."

"That works out then, I guess." She leaned towards him as though she were deeply interested in him. "Can you hear what he's saying?"

"No, but I can lip read. He's talking about his car." Skulduggery's head tilted as he looked back at her. "The woman he's with a sorcerer."

"That's so interesting," Valkyrie said with a bright smile as the waitress returned with the wine and a pair of crystal wine glasses.

"Can I get you two anything to eat or would you like some more time?" She addressed them both but didn't actually look at Valkyrie at all. "My name is Sadie, by the way. I'm your server for the evening, so if you need anything at all you let me know." Skulduggery smiled, thanked her, and ordered whatever he thought Valkyrie would like from the menu.

"She definitely likes you."

"I know," he answered.

"She didn't even look at me."

"I saw that as well."

"You could get her number, you know." She didn't know why she said that. He tilted his head, watching her with an unreadable expression.

"I don't need her number. I have a date for the evening," he answered eventually. Valkyrie arched an eyebrow at him, ignoring the pleased little flutter in her stomach.

"And there was me thinking you'd jump at the chance to get a phone number from a pretty girl."

"You have a very low opinion of me."

"Nah, I just know you've been girlfriend-less for a long time," she winked. His lips twitched as he fought a smile.

"You are an idiot."

"And yet you choose my company repeatedly. Who's the bigger idiot?"

"Touche." His eyes shifted back to Magnus for a moment and she watched his expression change to one of alertness.

"What is it?"

"Believe it or not, I think the Sanctuary Detectives may actually have found the right man." Skulduggery leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table to bring their heads closer together. "He's discussing acquiring an item of interest this evening."

"Is she the seller? Do you think he's going to steal it from her?"

"I do. I think she's also his date."

"What makes you think that?"

"They just started kissing."

"Oh. Alright."

"I think he's going to take her somewhere quiet after the meal and that's where he's going to steal it."

"Weird that she's agreed to be his date when she knows he wants something from her. How does she know he isn't just interested in the magical object?" Valkyrie shook her head. "Some people are so naive."

"Indeed they are. Perhaps she was just lonely and he was nice to her. Either way, she definitely likes him because they're still kissing."

"You mean they haven't come up for air yet?"

"Don't _look_. You're terrible at being undercover." Valkyrie grinned at him as she turned back, and he arched an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"This is the fun part. This is much better than waiting for people to do things all day."

"We're still waiting for people to do things."

"Yeah but we're much closer to our goal and it's exciting. Let me enjoy it."

"You're a very odd person."

"Normal people are boring." The waitress arrived again with the food Skulduggery had ordered and Valkyrie wasted no time in trying it. She was starving.

"Can I get you anything else tonight honey?" Sadie actually looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. Val swallowed her mouthful in time to see him raise his eyebrows. He reached across the table and twisted his fingers through Valkyrie's.

"Would you like anything else sweetheart?" he asked, a gentle smile on his face.

"Uh, no...no thanks." His green eyes were so intense that she felt her cheeks turn pink.

"Are you sure? It's my treat." His thumb stroked the back of her hand gently, and the waitress frowned in disappointment.

"I'm sure." She fought to keep her voice even.

"That's all then, thank you." He glanced up at the waitress before immediately bringing his attention back to his partner. Sadie backed away, obviously not used to being turned down. "You're blushing."

"I'm not," Val answered immediately, taking her hand back.

"You are."

"I'm _not_."

"I had no idea my natural charm was too much for you," he grinned.

"Shut up." She sipped the wine just for something to do. She hated wine. "I feel bad that you're spending loads of money on food that will be half eaten and wine that I won't drink."

"Why? I'm not poor."

"I know that. I still feel bad though."

"There's no need." They sat and chatted for a while. Valkyrie ate some more but left the wine. Skulduggery of course didn't eat or drink anything, though nobody seemed to notice. Eventually he paid the bill when he saw Magnus and his date make a move.

"Let's go," Valkyrie said when she saw them get up to leave. They waited until the pair had walked a few metres before following them out to the car park. Skulduggery draped his arm around Valkyrie's waist as they walked and she leaned into him, working hard to keep up the ruse of a happy couple as they tailed their suspect.

Magnus reached his car and stopped to chat to his date, so they did the same. It was cold. Valkyrie missed her coat. They tried to stay hidden among the car park shadows as they stood close by, sticking to the far side of the Bentley. They managed successfully, until Valkyrie's shoe touched a stone and it rattled over a grate on the ground. She panicked as Magnus followed the sound, spotting the rock and following its path back to them. Their cover was about to be blown if he saw them standing in the dark watching him.

She had no idea what the _hell_ she was doing as she grabbed the front of Skulduggery's jacket and stretched up to press her lips to his. He grunted quietly in surprise, but caught on quickly enough. His arm came around her and he leaned into it like he meant it, his other hand reaching up to cup her face. He backed her up against the Bentley, seeming unmindful of marking the paint. Even though she knew it wasn't real, her heart thumped in her chest. He pulled her closer and she found herself forgetting about the criminal nearby. A soft sigh escaped her as Skulduggery parted his lips to deepen the kiss. She was surprised to hear a gentle groan come from him as her hand knotted in his hair. Oh, he was _good_. She couldn't believe how easily it came to him.

The sound of a car engine starting up caught her attention, though the kiss continued until the vehicle began to drive away. And then Skulduggery pulled back and she sucked in a deep breath, her head spinning. He blinked at her a few times, a mildly surprised expression on his face.

"Uh," was all he said.

"So that happened." Her voice trembled almost as much as her knees. She was still trapped between him and the car, one hand on the back of his neck. His hands were at her waist.

"We should probably follow Magnus," he said softly. His voice was rough.

"Probably." He took another minute to step back and let her go, and then he opened the door for her without looking at her before climbing into the driver's seat. The Bentley left the parking area and joined the traffic on the main road easily. The Porsche was gone but Skulduggery seemed to know where to drive. "Where are we going?"

"The local gardens. Magnus is taking his date there for a romantic walk." He paused, and she saw the bemused expression return to his face. "I would've appreciated some sort of warning, you know."

"I didn't want our cover to be blown," she mumbled.

"We could have ducked behind the car."

"I didn't think of that when it was happening. I panicked."

"I noticed." His head tilted as he thought it through. "I suppose it was the best course of action really. It stopped him being suspicious enough to come closer. If he'd recognised my car that would've been it for the case."

"This is weird isn't it?"

"Very weird."

"At least you were convincing."

"What?"

"The kiss." Her cheeks coloured again. "You were convincing enough that he believed it. I half expected you not to catch on and shove me away. I definitely didn't expect..._that_."

"You're surprised that I know how to kiss someone?"

"You've lived several hundred years without lips."

"It's not rocket science."

"You could've marked the Bentley's paint."

"I'm sorry?" He looked confused.

"You backed me up against the car. Didn't you care about the paintwork?"

"I do _now_," he muttered.

"You seriously didn't notice?"

"I was a little preoccupied by the fact that you were making out with me in front of a potential criminal." He sighed. "Let's talk about it later. We're here."

oO0Oo


	15. Chapter 15

**_Requiem: Chapter Fifteen..._**

**_I have the next chapter all ready to go for you guys so here it is :)_**

* * *

oO0Oo

Skulduggery was perched in a tree above them, watching as Magnus and his date chatted on a bench by a small pond. Valkyrie had secreted herself in a flower bush a few feet to their right. Her dress was too tight and her shoes hurt but at least the stupid facade was gone. She could see a glittering necklace around the woman's neck, and the unnatural shimmer kept catching the light as she talked. Magnus kept inspecting it when he thought the woman wasn't looking.

"You can stop looking at it, Percy." The woman smiled at him. "I know you have an eye for magical artefacts but this one stays with me for now. We can discuss the sale later."

"Sorry my dear. It really is rather enchanting though. Almost as enchanting as you."

"Oh stop," the woman simpered. "You do know how to flatter a lady."

"That's not all I know how to do," Magnus said, and Valkyrie saw his expression change and the tip of his finger turn black a split second before he touched the poor woman beside him. Valkyrie snapped her palm and threw him over the back of the bench with the air. The woman shrieked and scrambled back. Skulduggery dropped from the tree and levelled his gun at Percival, his facade gone. The woman saw his skull, started to scream, and then she fainted. He ignored her.

"Percival Magnus, you're under arrest."

"Skulduggery Pleasant. Never thought I'd see the day when my little crimes were important enough to attract your attention." His gaze shifted to Valkyrie. He was a weedy little man with watery eyes and thinning hair. "And you must be his new pet. Cain is it?"

"Call me a pet one more time and you'll be sent to the Sanctuary without your teeth," she warned.

"Fiesty, aren't you?" He grinned, and they only had a second to duck as his hand turned black and the air seemed to ripple and turn red. The ground where Valkyrie had been standing was lacerated with hundreds of deep slashes.

"I thought he could only hurt people by touching them!" she called to Skulduggery.

"So did I," he called back. He fired several shots that sent Magnus leaping for cover. Valkyrie used the opening to send a swathe of shadows slamming into the mage. He dodged at the last second and she barely escaped his devastating gift as he cut the plants behind her to shreds.

"Stay still so I can kill you," he snarled as she ran to Skulduggery's side, stumbling in her stupid heels. She was too slow. Another blast of deadly power came her way. Skulduggery threw her out of the way and it struck him full force, and Valkyrie tumbled and watched in shock as his beautiful suit shredded and he screamed and hit the ground and didn't get back up. Valkyrie scrambled over to him, grabbed his gun and aimed.

She'd never shot anyone before. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She watched in shock as the bullet hit Magnus square in the chest, and the red liquid spread out around it and ruined his nice shirt. And he clutched the wound and then his hand was red and he was falling. And as he fell his eyes rolled back and his limbs folded under him and then he didn't move anymore and the red was spreading out on the nice ornamental footpath around him.

A skeletal hand touched her back, the other reaching up to remove her finger from the trigger. Skulduggery moved slowly, like it was a great effort to do anything, but he took the gun from her as she started to tremble and he pulled her close and held her while she cried. She didn't mind that he had no skin. She didn't mind that there were gaps under his shredded clothes when she hugged him. All she could see was the red seeping from the bullet hole and staining the stones, even after he'd turned her away from it.

"Ghastly, we got him." Skulduggery's soft voice was strained, the smoothness turning as rough as sandpaper as he spoke into his phone, keeping one arm around her. "We need someone to handle clean up." There was a lull while he waited for a response. "Yes, he's dead. He tried to kill us." He paused. "Valkyrie is fine but I need medical attention. We're in the public gardens in the city centre. Thank you." He ended the call, and he swayed on his feet, and then he dropped to his knees with a groan.

"Are you alright?" Valkyrie hunkered down beside him, letting him lean on her so he didn't fall.

"That _really_ hurt."

"Thanks for saving me."

"The nick of time rescues are my thing, remember," he answered. She thought he might chuckle, but then he swayed and he went limp. Valkyrie tried to wake him, and as she did she saw his damaged bones. Hundreds of tiny nicks and scars on every inch of exposed bone. Some of them had splintered into hairline cracks along his skeleton.

"Val?" It was Tanith, with Fletcher, Ghastly and a bunch of Cleavers beside her. She looked at the unconscious woman on the bench and the dead man on the path, and then she looked at Valkyrie's tear stained face and Skulduggery slumped against her and she sprang into action. She barked orders and the Cleavers moved as a unit to secure the area, Ghastly took out his phone to contact the people who would disguise the incident and Fletcher walked over to the two of them huddled on the ground.

"Hey." He crouched in front of her and touched her shoulder.

"I shot Magnus," she said softly. "I shot him and I killed him."

"You've never killed anyone before, have you?" Fletcher's tone was careful, like somebody speaking to a child on the edge of a tantrum.

"No."

"The first time is always the worst," Skulduggery groaned. He tried to sit up but failed.

"Stay still. I'm gonna get you both to the Sanctuary." Fletcher put a hand on each of them and then they were in the Infirmary. Valkyrie helped to lift Skulduggery onto a bed as Doctor Raze came sweeping in with a serious expression on her face.

"What happened?"

"A man called Percival Magnus hit him with some sort of power when he was aiming for me," she said quietly as Fletcher gave her a sympathetic smile and disappeared.

"Have you seen the power before?"

"He's used it on other people. It cuts them all over, even their organs. Will Skulduggery be okay?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He's a difficult man to kill." She put a hand on Valkyrie's shoulder, her eyes softening. "I need you to wait outside while I help him, alright? I'll call you as soon as I can." Valkyrie nodded and left the Infirmary on numb legs. She sat in one of the hard plastic seats outside, pulled off her stupid shoes and she cried, drawing her knees up to her chest and sobbing into her arms.

She replayed the shot over and over in her mind, wondering if she could have done it differently. Wondering if she should have gone for his leg instead. But all the time the voice in the back of her head whispered to her. _You didn't want that. You wanted him dead for hurting Skulduggery. He killed others, he deserved it. _She tried to ignore the voice, but it was insistent, continuing to nag at her until Fletcher and Tanith found her a while later, still sitting in that plastic chair.

"Val?" Tanith sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "You okay?"

"I killed him Tanith. I could've shot him in the arm or the leg and instead I shot him square in the chest."

"He was trying to kill you. He almost killed Skulduggery. He planned to hurt and potentially kill the woman he was with. What you did was self defence."

"But I could've-"

"No," Fletcher said gently. "Stop it." He took a seat on the other side of her and took her hand. "If you keep thinking of all the things you could've done you'll drive yourself insane. You did what you had to in the moment."

"He was trying to kill you, Val. You saved two lives tonight." Tanith smiled. "Skul owes you big time now."

"No he doesn't," she answered, shaking her head. "He saved me. That's why he's hurt and I'm not. I shot Magnus afterwards."

"We've all done things we don't like," the blonde woman answered. "Sometimes being the good guy means you have to make the hard choices."

"You made the right one," Fletcher added. They stayed silent for a while as Valkyrie came to terms with the knowledge that she'd ended a life.

"How was he when you left him?" Tanith asked, breaking the silence.

"Bad, I think. He spoke before Fletcher brought us here but he couldn't move. He had marks all over him. Lots of them cracked."

"I've seen it before. It's a Necromancy technique called 'The touch of a thousand cuts'. Nasty trick," she said with a scowl. "Normally it only works on the flesh, but since Skul has no flesh I guess his skeleton took the brunt of it."

"I have to go," Fletcher said, frowning at his phone. "Let me know how he is when you can." Fletcher disappeared in a second.

"How long have you been sat here?"

"Since Fletcher brought us back from Ditchwater. I had to leave while Doctor Raze treated him." Valkyrie frowned. "How long ago was that?"

"A couple of hours. We came as soon as the mess Magnus caused was sorted."

"What happened to the girl he was with?"

"She's fine. She's been allowed to return home and advised to leave the necklace in a safe place from now on. She actually asked me to thank you both. She had no idea her new boyfriend planned to do more than just buy the necklace from her." Tanith squeezed Valkyrie's knee as the Doctor appeared in the corridor.

"He's awake and asking for you," she said. "He's still in one piece but be gentle with him, alright? He's sore." Valkyrie nodded and got to her feet, her legs aching from sitting still for so long.

"I'll be right here," Tanith assured her. She nodded and entered the Infirmary again, heading straight for her partner. His destroyed suit had been replaced with a hospital gown and he was covered by a rough blanket. He was sat up against the pillows, and he watched as she approached.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello."

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore, I have to admit." He had the weird black tape around most of the bones that were exposed, and he didn't move much.

"That's a lot of tape," she said.

"There were a lot of cracks." He cocked his head. "Are you okay?"

"You're the one in a hospital bed."

"You shot someone, Valkyrie." He turned his palm over on the blanket carefully, opening his hand to her. She reached out and he clasped her fingers gently. "We're partners. You don't have to pretend you're alright around me."

"He bled _so much_." Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "I keep thinking there was something else I could've done."

"There probably was," Skulduggery answered truthfully. She liked that he was so direct. "You could have shot him in the shoulder. Or the shin. The foot, perhaps. But you didn't." He held her hand a little tighter. "And that doesn't make you a bad person. If you had given him that chance to live he would've killed you without a second thought."

"You really believe that?"

"I know it. I've come up against his kind more times that I care to remember."

"Did you know what his magic would do to you?"

"No. But I knew what it would do to _you_. I had more chance of coming out of it unscathed than you did."

"But you didn't come out of it unscathed, did you? _Look_ at you. You almost _died_."

"Don't be dramatic."

"No, you definitely almost died," Doctor Raze said, appearing with a clip board. "Your skeleton is two sharp taps away from turning into shrapnel, detective. Don't downplay it."

"I was trying to be reassuring," he muttered.

"Valkyrie doesn't need reassuring. She needs the truth. And I'm sure if she trusts anyone to be truthful when she needs it most, it's her partner." She scribbled something as she spoke and then disappeared again to check on another patient.

"I think she might have just schooled you," Valkyrie said slowly.

"I think she did." He turned his eye sockets back on her. "Alright. I had no idea if I was going to die or not when I pushed you out of the way. I'd rather die after more than four hundred years of existing than have you die after only twenty two." He patted her hand. "But it's not the first time I've almost died and I'm sure it won't be the last."

"I was really worried. You seemed alright and then all of a sudden you were unconscious." She frowned. "Why didn't you pass out right away?"

"I'm tougher than I look, but unfortunately it seems staying on my feet turned many of the cuts into cracks and in turn the pain forced me to black out anyway."

"Are you in pain now?"

"I am. I can't move very much."

"Is there anything I can get to help you?" she asked.

"Just your company is fine." She felt him smile. "I'm glad you're safe."

"I'd be dead if you hadn't shoved me out of the way." She squeezed his hand carefully. "Thanks for that."

"My pleasure." His head tilted again like he wanted to say something, but he stayed silent.

"What?"

"I was thinking about the paintwork on my car," he answered. "I really hope we didn't scratch it."

"We? If I remember it was _you_ that pushed me against it."

"But you were the one that kissed me so it's your fault if it is."

"That's not fair though."

"What's not fair about it?"

"_You_ pushed _me_ against the car." Her cheeks warmed. "I didn't ask you to do it."

"My poor Bentley." He paused. "Why do you always go red around me?"

"I don't _always_ go red. I just blush when I'm embarrassed."

"Why are you embarrassed?"

"Did you miss the part where I kissed you?"

"I kissed you too. I'm not embarrassed. In fact I'm fairly smug. I think I did a wonderful job, don't you?"

"I'm sorry, do you actually expect me to answer that?"

"Why would I ask a question that didn't require an answer?" She could tell he was amused just from his tone of voice.

"You wouldn't but I'm not going to answer you."

"Then I'll have to assume you fell in love with me because of it and can't admit your feelings. I don't blame you really. I'm wonderful."

"Do you ever stop talking?"

"No. You should know that by now." He cocked his head. "I'm still waiting for you to answer my question."

"Good God, will you drop it?" She scowled at him.

"Absolutely."

"Really?"

"No. Tell me." She sagged.

"I swear to God I will kill you if you tell anyone. You were alright." Her cheeks burned furiously and she knew if he had lips he'd be grinning.

"Something tells me I was more than just _alright_."

"Will you shut up?" She looked away.

"We have to talk about it at some point, you know. Otherwise things willl become awkward." The seriousness returning to his tone made her look back at him.

"What's to talk about? He was about to bust us and I panicked. I just went with the whole fake dating thing. It worked. The end."

"Well, I wanted to apologise to you actually."

"Really? Why?" She felt her eyebrows creep upwards.

"I might have gotten a little...carried away. I wanted to say sorry if I overstepped."

"I kissed you unexpectedly in the middle of an undercover case and you think _you_ overstepped?"

"In fairness you only did it to stop us being discovered."

"And you did a good job of convincing Magnus that we were just an ordinary couple." Her free hand rose to rub the back of her neck awkwardly as she remembered how her heart had pounded when he responded. "Your acting skills are amazing."

"My acting skills?"

"Well you only froze for a second and then you acted like you were really into it. Maybe you should put your performance forward for an award." She tried to inject some humour into the conversation.

"Oh dear. I think you misunderstood me." His tone changed. "I'm not apologising because I was too forward, Valkyrie. I'm apologising because I feel it was _inappropriate_ of me to kiss you back."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because I wasn't acting."

oO0Oo


	16. Chapter 16

**_Requiem: Chapter Sixteen..._**

**_I hope you guys are all still enjoying this fic. Feel free to leave a review if you liked it :)_**

* * *

oO0Oo

"You...you weren't?"

"To be honest, I didn't understand what was happening until the car drove away." His head tilted. "Though I'm flattered that you think my acting skills are that good."

"I don't get it. Is this a joke?"

"No."

"You wanted to kiss me?"

"At the time it happened I wanted to kiss you back, so I did. And now I'm apologising for my behaviour."

"So you pushing me against the car, that was real?"

"Yes."

"Why are you so calm?"

"Would you like me to wave my arms around? Because I'd rather not. They might fall apart." He paused. "Every time I think I've seen the darkest shade of pink you can go, you find another even darker one."

"Shut up. I'm trying to think." He shut up. She tried to process what he'd said. Everytime she tried to accept that he was telling the truth her brain came up against a wall. "Nope, I'm sorry. I can't make sense of this."

"Which part is difficult for you?"

"All of it."

"I think you may be overthinking this somewhat." He shifted on the bed, ignoring the pain as he turned gingerly to face her a little more. "Perhaps you have questions that I might be able to answer. Would that help?"

"Possibly." He nodded, waiting for her to pick a question. "So you wanted to kiss me?" He nodded again. "And did you know you wanted to before you did it?"

"No."

"Do you want to kiss me now?"

"If I try to get out of this bed I will _actually_ fall apart. I don't want to kiss _anybody_ at the moment."

"Okay. If you weren't on death's door would you want to?" He stayed silent, and she realised he was seriously considering her question. She appreciated that.

"Probably," he answered, still as calm as ever. "It wasn't the worst experience I've ever had."

"Thanks for the glowing review," she scowled. He chuckled.

"Valkyrie, I'm not saying it was bad in any way. It wasn't." The warmth in his voice made her stomach squeeze. "In the interest of honesty, I enjoyed it. It was something that I would want to do again. However wanting something and acting upon it are two different things."

"Would you act on it?" She didn't know why it mattered so much to her.

"Hmm." It was hard to guess what he was thinking when he couldn't move and he had no face. The usual body language she'd come to know couldn't help her. "It would depend on the circumstances."

"What does that mean?"

"Well in another undercover mission, if it were necessary, then yes. If it were a normal day then no."

"What makes you say no?"

"I'm not a fan of forcing myself onto women that aren't interested, Valkyrie." He still spoke in that same easy, even tone. She wanted to tell him that it wouldn't be forced. She couldn't. "You have something to say."

"I...was just wondering how this might affect our jobs."

"It shouldn't affect them at all. We've addressed it and it can be put behind us."

"Is that what you want?" He cocked his head in a gesture she knew well. He was confused.

"Why wouldn't I want that?"

"I don't know."

"Perhaps you should ask me what it is you really want to know." His voice grew quiet, and the change of tone sent goosebumps up her arms. She looked at their hands, clasped on the blanket. She looked at the black tape around his bones, even the fine bones of his fingers had been injured. She remembered the sound he'd made as the magic hit him and how he'd faltered and fallen. And she remembered how he'd still shown more concern for her than himself even as his bones began to break apart. She had to ask.

"Do you have feelings for me, Skulduggery?"

"And there we reach the crux of the matter," he said gently. "I suppose I do, yes." She expected him to explain it, or dismiss it. Instead he said it and then he sat there. He didn't try to excuse it or defend himself. He was simply honest.

"Oh," was all she could say. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried again. "Is this a recent thing?"

"I felt something for a short while before the stake out. I wasn't sure what. Then you kissed me and I realised that yes, I am attracted to you. I understand of course that it's inappropriate, which is why I offered an apology, and why I'd like to put it behind us. You don't have to worry about me making any unwanted advances."

"Unwanted advances?"

"Yes. I would like to remain partners and friends. I'd hate to think I spoiled things between us." His gaze was fixed on the blanket, though it was hard to tell where he was really looking with those eye sockets.

"I don't...I..." She was confused. So confused that words failed her for a moment. "Do you think I was acting too?"

"Of course." He looked back at her, careful not to move too quickly. "You were, weren't you?" Slowly, so slowly, she shook her head. "Oh. Alright." They sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Is it the facade?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Is it the facade that you're attracted to?" She blinked, confused. And then she realised why he'd automatically assumed she had no feelings for him. Why he felt the need to apologise to her. She saw through his flippant comments about his relationships. He genuinely didn't believe anybody could truly care about him while he was a skeleton.

She got up from her seat and moved to perch on the mattress beside him, careful not to jostle him. She felt like her body moved of it's own accord as she reached up and touched his jaw gently. And then she leaned in and her lips brushed his mouth. Kissing him without the facade was strange, but not unpleasant. He hesitated, and then he leaned into it as well and it became an entirely different experience. He was so gentle. It wasn't like the passionate embrace they'd first shared where her fingers had knotted in his hair and his body had pinned hers. This was tender and careful.

"Wow. Okay, _not_ what I expected to walk in on." Valkyrie pulled back and turned to see Tanith standing behind them with her mouth open, her eyebrows raised as high as they could go. "I'll give you guys a minute." She turned stiffly and walked away again.

"That woman has the worst timing I've ever seen," Skulduggery murmured. Valkyrie turned back to look at him.

"I like the facade," she said, ignoring his comment. "But I prefer you."

"You understand that I'm a skeleton?" She nodded. "You know I can't be the same as a normal man, don't you?" She nodded again. "And you don't care?" She shook her head. He reached up and touched her cheek carefully. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"Right, it's time Skulduggery rested," Doctor Raze said as she reappeared out of nowhere, not looking up from the notes in front of her. Skulduggery let his hand drop slowly. "You're going to be here for a couple of days while we make sure you don't spontaneously disintegrate. After that we'll see what happens. You can come back whenever you like tomorrow, Arbiter Cain, but for now I have to ask you to say goodnight." And then she turned away before they could answer, already focused on her next patient.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," she mumbled.

"I certainly hope so." She felt him smile. "If you need to talk I have my phone."

"What are we to one another, Skulduggery?"

"Partners, Valkyrie. No matter what, we're partners."

"Until the end," she said, smiling softly. She bent to brush a kiss against his cheekbone as she stood. He tipped an imaginary hat to her and she left with a grin on her face.

"Where exactly do you think you're running off to?" Tanith asked, catching her as she exited the Infirmary.

"Home," she answered. "It's been a really long day."

"And when did you and Skulduggery start dating?"

"We're not dating."

"Then why were you kissing him?"

"Can we go home first? I promise I'll explain but right now I just want to be at home in my pyjamas." Valkyrie was exhausted. Tanith's expression grew soft and she nodded.

"Sure, Val. We can go home first." She texted Fletcher and in a few minutes the three of them were outside the apartment building.

"When have you been to my apartment?" Valkyrie asked, frowning.

"Tanith uses me as a taxi way more often than I'd like. She made me come here so that next time she wanted to see Ghastly I could pick her up and take her straight there." Fletcher scowled. "Sometimes I'm important enough that the whole Sanctuary wants to protect me. Other times I'm an instant bus service."

"Thank you for being a very efficient bus service this evening," Valkyrie smiled.

"Anything for you gorgeous," he winked.

"Uh, Fletch? I'd stop that if I were you." Tanith's tone was wary.

"Stop what?"

"Flirting with Valkyrie."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, Skulduggery will snap your arms off, I'm sure."

"Why would he...Wait...You mean he beat me to it?" Fletcher looked dismayed. Tanith nodded. "Damn that stupid skeleton. No offence Val."

"None taken," she answered.

"Still, if you ever get bored of him, come see me." He winked, and then he was gone.

"Poor Fletcher. He had a huge crush on you," Tanith said as they headed inside. "He was gonna try to take you on a date."

"I feel bad now."

"Don't, he's a resilient guy. He'll have a crush on somebody else in a week." She dumped her keys on the side and flopped onto the sofa.

"I'm gonna change out of this ridiculous dress. Back in a sec." Valkyrie padded to the bedroom to pull on a soft jumper and a pair of shorts. She took a minute to think about everything that had happened over the last few days. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She took a deep breath and went back to the living room to find Tanith had made her a cup of tea. She accepted it gratefully and curled up on the sofa beside her.

"So. You and Skul, huh? How's that going for you?"

"It isn't," Valkyrie answered. "That was our first kiss. Sort of."

"Sort of?" Tanith leaned forwards. "Spill."

"You know how we went undercover as a couple? Well we were following Magnus out of the restaurant. He didn't see us out there but he'd seen us sitting together while he was eating. I was wearing a stupid pair of shoes and I kicked a rock by mistake and it hit a grate. He heard it and he was about to see us watching him so I just sort of...made out with Skulduggery."

"Christ."

"Yeah."

"What did he do?" Valkyrie's expression turned sheepish and Tanith's grin got wider. "You _have_ to tell me!"

"Well he was surprised at first, but then he got really into it." She looked down at her mug. "He pinned me against his car."

"He did _not_! _Really_?" Valkyrie nodded and Tanith's eyebrows crept up again. "Damn. I had no idea he had it in him. And he didn't complain about the paintwork?"

"No. It was actually me that mentioned that. I thought he was acting so we just went after Magnus like it was normal and said we'd talk about it later. And then Magnus almost killed him."

"So if you thought he was acting, and he thought you were acting, how did you end up kissing in the Infirmary?"

"He said he wanted to apologise and openly admitted that he wasn't faking it."

"Wow. That's bold of him."

"I know, that's what I thought. But he thought I knew he wasn't acting so he said sorry in case he'd offended me." She frowned. "I told him he hadn't and that I wasn't acting either. What he said next made me really sad." Tanith waited for her to continue. "He asked me if it was the facade that I liked."

"Is it?"

"No. No it's not. I mean the facade is handsome and all, but it's not that. It's hard to explain."

"No I get it. You don't like somebody for how they look. I mean I'm dating Ghastly and he's scarred from head to toe."

"That's not it either. I mean it's _partly_ it, obviously. But..." She trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

"You can tell me anything Val, you know that."

"It's just that I _like_ him."

"You find him attractive?"

"I know it sounds weird." She sighed. "I don't know what it is. The way he dresses, the way he tilts his head when he finds himself funny, his _voice_. I like all of it, and I'd still like all of him even if the facade never existed."

"I get it," Tanith said. "The things that make you like him are what made me become friends with him. Also that voice could melt the heart of a sea hag if the inclination took him." Valkyrie giggled. "It's not weird that you like him, Val. And to a certain extent I understand why you prefer him without the facade. Ghastly has one that he can wear to get rid of his scars. I hate it."

"I didn't know that."

"I dig scars," she winked, and Valkyrie snorted and almost choked on her tea. "Was it weird kissing a guy with no lips?"

"A little," she answered when she was done spluttering. "But honestly it wasn't bad."

"Was it better with the facade or without?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "The first kiss was wild. I've never been kissed like that in my _life_. But the second one was sweet and it was actually real and we had a choice. I can't pick between them."

"I can't believe Skulduggery pinned you against the _Bentley_. He must really like you."

"When was the last time he had a girlfriend?"

"Before I was born, easily. And I'm in my nineties. I don't know exactly how long it was. All I know is that after she turned out to be insane and he had to cut out her heart he steered clear of relationships." She shrugged. "He had a couple of really really brief flings I think, but nobody stuck around."

"Wow. That's...that's a really long time."

"Yeah. Try not to worry too much about that though. Time is irrelevant when you're four and a half centuries old." She paused. "What do you think will happen next?"

"I don't know. We didn't get chance to talk about it really. We're staying partners, that much I know. We work too well together to not be partners. He told me he couldn't be what a normal man would be to me, whatever that means."

"I think he's referring to the lack of organic materials." Tanith had an eyebrow arched as she spoke. "You know?"

"No," Valkyrie answered, frowning.

"Jeez, you really are dumb sometimes. He's telling you that if you ever considered him seriously enough to stay with him long term he couldn't give you a family."

"But I know that already. I don't want a family."

"What he's saying is that you might in the future. If you chose to stay with him you'd sacrifice that."

"I know."

"There might be other things he can't give you, you know. Physically."

"I know that too."

"Unless the facade is as good as China says it is, of course. She's always bragging about it. She says she's designed it so well that Skulduggery should feel alive again when he has it activated."

"This is a really awkward conversation. I haven't even had this kind of conversation with him yet. Should we be talking about it?"

"I won't tell him if you don't," she winked. "Besides, it makes sense to talk it through with a friend. If you didn't I know for a fact you'd spend all night thinking about everything instead of sleeping."

"Thanks Tanith."

"Anytime," she grinned. "So are you gonna see where it goes or break it off or what?"

"I think...I think I want to see where it goes. It might end up being nothing, but I know I'll regret it if I don't at least see what happens next."

"I knew when we met that you'd be trouble," Tanith chuckled. "As soon as Skulduggery said he was avoiding you I thought 'well that's not going to happen'. He's a magnet for trouble."

"He does seem to get into an extraordinary amount of fights."

"That's because he has no fear of offending people. He knows he's usually the smartest person in the room and he's quite happy for other people to know it too."

"I know. I've never been punched so much because somebody likes to talk." She grinned, tucking her dark hair behind her ears. "But I have to be honest, it's exciting. I love my job."

"There really is nothing quite like kicking criminals in the face." They both laughed, and then Valkyrie yawned.

"I'm exhausted so I'm gonna head to bed. Thanks for the tea and the chat." Valkyrie took the tea with her, but by the time she'd crawled into bed and settled beneath the blankets the drink was forgotten and she was asleep.

oO0Oo


	17. Chapter 17

**_Requiem: Chapter Seventeen..._**

oO0Oo

"I'm so bored in here that I think I might actually be going insane." Skulduggery was sat up in his hospital bed, still dressed in a medical gown and still covered in tape, but he could move more than when Val had seen him last. She'd brought him one of Gordon's books to read in his spare time.

"You need to rest up. Doctor Raze is still concerned about the condition of your bones," she warned.

"I don't plan to go smashing through any windows any time soon."

"Windows? Why windows?"

"Doors are for people with no imagination."

"That might be the most ridiculous thing you've ever said to me."

"I've said many ridiculous things."

"You have. But the door thing is definitely up there. Right next to 'The sparrow flies south for the winter'."

"That was an excellent way to give a signal."

"It didn't even make _sense_. Signals are meant to be _subtle_." She arched an eyebrow. "It was so obvious that you got punched in the face for it."

"I got punched in the face for calling the bar tender an idiot. The signal just happened to be given around the same time."

"You mean right before he punched you?"

"Did you come here to annoy me? Because you're doing an excellent job. Really top notch."

"I can leave if you want."

"God no. If I have to sit here alone much longer I'll end up getting myself thrown out. Doctor Raze is already telling me regularly that I'm frying her brain." He cocked his head. "Thank you for coming to see me. I'm not used to being out of action."

"Who'd have thought that after facing down Gods and killing hundreds of criminals it'd be a thief that got the better of you?"

"If it weren't for that magic of his he would've been no trouble. In fact other than that he was hugely underwhelming."

"But he still managed to almost kill you."

"He did."

"Is that embarrassing for you?"

"I'm never embarrassed. I'm far too cool for that." Valkyrie looked doubtfully at the hospital gown and the black tape.

"Yes. Yes you are." He chuckled and she grinned at him. "Have the others been to visit?"

"I saw Tanith earlier this morning, and Ghastly was here last night. Don't tell Doctor Raze he was here, I was supposed to be sleeping."

"But you don't sleep."

"I told her that. She said I had to anyway." He shrugged and then winced when the movement jarred his delicate bones. "Speaking of her, I'm sure she'll swoop in here to change my tape soon."

"Why does it need changing?"

"It only works for so long before it becomes nothing more than a strip of sticky material. It needs changing daily while my skeleton is still weak."

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"Oh, horrifically, yes. But I've had worse pains."

"I don't know if it's impressive that your pain threshold is so high or sad because you know how high it is."

"I'd go with impressive." His tone softened a little. "How are you, Valkyrie?"

"I'm alright. Still not quite over the fact that I shot someone, but I'm doing okay." She shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. He touched the back of her hand gently.

"Are you sure?"

"I had a nightmare about it last night, but I'm surviving. I'll be okay, really." She paused. "I did get a chance to think though."

"About?"

"This. Us." She gestured at the space between them.

"And what conclusion did you come to?"

"I want to know your thoughts first," she said.

"Hmm." He paused, considering his answer before giving it a voice. "I want to recognise my feelings for you. Of course I'd love nothing more than to act on them. I'm hesitant to do that for several reasons."

"And they are?"

"You're in enough danger already just as my partner. There are people that want me dead and will use anything to get to me. Becoming more than my partner would only escalate that danger." He shifted slightly before continuing. "I also enjoy our friendship very much. I wouldn't want to spoil that." He paused. "And I haven't had a girlfriend for a _really_ long time. Not to mention I'm a living skeleton." Valkyrie nodded, processing his reasoning for a moment.

"Would you like to hear my thoughts now?" He inclined his head for her to continue. "I'm in danger all the time now that I'm an Arbiter. Everyone already knows who I am because it's impossible to associate with you and _not_ be known. I like our friendship too, and we're both adults. If it doesn't work I see no reason why we can't just let it go sensibly and continue on as friends and partners. Lastly, and this really is the most important part, _I don't care that you're a skeleton_."

"I see. So does that mean I have to take you to dinner?"

"We already went to dinner."

"That was on a stake out."

"It counts. Also I hate fancy dinners and wearing dresses." She smiled. "How about we stick to what we know?"

"Punching people that deserve it?"

"Punching people that deserve it," she agreed. "And when we're done maybe we can hang out and not talk about work for a while."

"I'd like that."

"Me too." She hesitated. "Although, Tanith is going to want to know what this is." She gestured at the space between them again. "What do I tell her?"

"What do you want to tell her?"

"You're so evasive. It's very annoying." He chuckled.

"Tell her the truth then. Tell her we're seeing what happens."

"Alright. So does that mean we're dating?"

"I suppose it does." She nodded slowly. "I think I hear Doctor Raze coming."

"I don't hear anything," she frowned.

"Detectives," said the doctor as she appeared around the curtain surrounding the bed. "How are you feeling, Skulduggery?"

"Peachy," he answered. She shot him a withering look and he sighed. "Sore."

"And are you managing to move more?"

"Yes. I have control over all of my limbs again."

"Excellent, that means your spine is beginning to heal." She scribbled on her clipboard. "It's your favourite time of day again, as I'm sure you know."

"Oh joy," he muttered. "More pain."

"I can leave you in your current bindings and let you take months to heal if you'd like." She arched an eyebrow at him.

"No I most certainly wouldn't like that."

"Then shut up and lie down." He sighed again, but did as he was told. "Is Arbiter Cain staying or going?"

"That would be up to her." He turned his head so he could look at Valkyrie.

"I must warn you before you make your choice, it takes quite a while to change the bindings. Very few of Skukduggery's bones escaped damage."

"I'll stay," she decided.

"Alright then." The doctor nodded and reached behind Skulduggery's head to unfasten the gown, sliding it carefully over his arms and setting it aside. Valkyrie stifled a gasp. His body was littered with tape. Every single bone was bound.

"That looks like it hurts," she said softly.

"It does," he answered. The doctor began unwinding the tape from his fingers and hands, working quickly and carefully. Skulduggery fell silent as she continued, keeping his face turned towards Valkyrie. She watched as hundreds of tiny fissures and cracks were revealed beneath the bindings, spidering across the white surfaces.

"Stay still," the doctor said as he twitched at the sensation of her fingers dipping between the bones of his forearm.

"I'm trying my best, doctor," Skulduggery answered tightly. The pain in his voice made Val's chest constrict.

"Try harder," Raze replied. "If you move too much your skeleton will shatter. She'd finished unwinding the bindings around his arms now. She held them very gently, turning them carefully to inspect the damage. "Although I'm pleased to say the treatment is definitely working."

"How much longer do you think he'll be in here?" Val asked.

"A few more days. And then I'm going to send him home with instructions to rest _again_. And if he ignores those instructions and his skeleton turns to dust I will _laugh_." The doctor moved onto his rib cage, and Skulduggery groaned involuntarily as she tweaked a particularly sore spot by mistake.

"Do your parents know we're back?" He seemed to be looking for something to distract himself from the pain.

"Not yet. They think we're on the trip for a full week. If you're still in here after tomorrow I'll tell them we extended it."

"Fair enough." Raze started replacing the tape and Skulduggery fell silent again.

"Can't you meditate while this is happening?"

"I can't concentrate enough to do it," he answered. "And the pain would wake me anyway."

"This sucks," Valkyrie mumbled.

"Indeed it does, though the distraction is welcome. Thank you for staying. I know it must be strange for you."

"Why would it be strange?"

"You're watching a doctor tape the bones of a talking skeleton."

"Is that supposed to bother me?"

"Doesn't it?"

"Not really."

They continued chatting while Raze removed and replaced each binding with expert hands. Skulduggery's speech was stilted at times but he continued the conversation relatively easily. When Raze was done, she replaced the medical gown and fastened it carefully behind his neck.

"Alright, I'd like to test your range of movement. Can you wiggle your fingers for me?" He did. "And make a fist." He did as he was told. "I need you to push against my palm." He splayed his fingers and flattened his palm against hers, pushing until it hurt, and then repeated the process with the other side. The doctor ran through several more exercises with him and then scribbled on her notes. "Last test," she said. "Can you stand up? And I must stress that if you feel you can't then the safest thing to do would be to stop trying."

"I understand." He sat up slowly and pushed away from the bed. Valkyrie realised she was holding her breath as he straightened up. She was pleased when he didn't sway.

"Excellent. Can you take a step?" He did. "Valkyrie can you come here?" Val got up and came to stand beside them. "Skulduggery I want you to walk as far as you can, and then we'll help you back to the bed. If you feel anything shift or crack I want you to stop immediately." He nodded and started walking. His movements were slow and sluggish. He managed seven steps before he had to stop.

"That was much better than I expected. Well done," Raze said as they settled him back against the pillows. "You might be out of here sooner than expected. You're healing remarkably well." She excused herself and as soon as she left the skeleton sagged.

"Ouch," he groaned. "I'm beginning to think she enjoys hurting me."

"She wouldn't be the first."

"True. I miss throwing fire at people."

"You've only been in here a few days. It hasn't been that long."

"It feels longer."

"Tanith said time is irrelevant to somebody that has existed for four and a half centuries."

"It would seem Tanith is incorrect. I get bored very quickly."

"How on earth did you cope in another dimension?"

"I mastered elemental magic."

"Fair point." She thought for a second. "I could bring you more books."

"That would be nice." He picked up the one she'd brought him. "This was the novel he was writing when he died."

"It was."

"_And the Darkness Rained Upon Them_. I haven't read this one. Has Gordon come out of the stone yet?"

"Not yet, but I haven't been to check since before the stake out," she said guiltily.

"I think I'd like to go check when I'm allowed out of here. Would that be alright?"

"Absolutely," she nodded. "Oh, the Bentley is back in the Sanctuary car park by the way." She fished through the pocket of her armoured coat for the key and handed it back to him. "And it's completely unharmed. No scratches anywhere."

"Who drove it back?"

"I did. It's parked in your usual spot and it's absolutely fine. I even had it waxed for you."

"Where?" he asked warily.

"The same place you always get it done, by Marvin."

"Did you drive nicely?"

"Yes, I drove nicely." She rolled her eyes. "And you have the keys back now so nobody else will be able to move it."

"Thank you."

"What, no lecture on how I might have scratched the paint? You're not even going to insist I take a photo of it to show you?"

"I trust you," he answered.

"Oh. Does that mean I can drive it more often?"

"Definitely not."

oO0Oo

The next few days passed slowly, and all Skulduggery did was complain. Valkyrie smiled as she walked towards the Infirmary, remembering each of the many times Doctor Raze had told him to shut up. She pushed the door open and strode inside, and her heart leapt as she saw her partner standing by his bed and fastening a black tie around his neck. She could still see the tape wrapped around his fingers as he adjusted his collar, but he was much stronger.

"Hey," she said as she approached. He turned and tilted his head and she felt his warm smile even though she couldn't see it.

"Hello," he answered. He pulled on his jacket carefully and straightened up, looking immaculate in a dark blue suit and white shirt.

"I brought you a present," she said, keeping her hands behind her back.

"Is it flowers?"

"No. Why would I bring you flowers?"

"Usually people in hospital get flowers."

"Oh. Well no, it isn't flowers. It's your hat." She produced the hat and he sighed happily as he put it on.

"How I've missed my hat," he said lovingly. "I feel much better now."

"You look better. I was worried about you for a while there." He slipped his gloves on and stepped closer to her.

"You never need to worry about me. I'm like a cockroach. Very annoying and nuclear bomb proof." He closed the gap between them.

"You _are_ annoying," she agreed. She reached up and straightened his tie, and he caught her hand as she went to move it away. His other hand moved to her hip. Even as a skeleton he made her heart race. For a brief second she wondered if there was something wrong with her, and then she banished that thought and let him kiss her. It was short and gentle and it ended too soon.

"You don't seem very annoyed by me." His voice was low and warm, smooth as honey. She could listen to that voice all day.

"It's hard to be annoyed at you when you're injured."

"I'm not nearly as injured as I was yesterday."

"If I could interrupt for a moment," Doctor Raze said, once again appearing out of nowhere and frightening Valkyrie out of her skin.

"Christ, you're like a ninja," she muttered.

"You may leave the Infirmary today but you are absolutely _not_ fit for work, detective. The tape needs to stay on until tomorrow, at which point I'd like you to come back for a check up. is that alright?"

"It is. Thank you again."

"It's my job to help people. Even people as reckless as you."

"You flatter me."

"I'll see you tomorrow, detective." She disappeared as quickly as she'd arrived and Skulduggery turned back to his partner.

"I'm looking forward to seeing my car again."

"Let's go then," Valkyrie grinned. They left the Infirmary and she was happy to be walking through the Sanctuary with him again. He was a little slower than normal but his stride was steady and his back was straight. As they left the Administrator gave them a curt nod. "Won't Ghastly be mad that you left without telling him?"

"No. He knows I'm due to leave today. He's seeing Tanith tonight so I'm sure I'll see him at your apartment."

"Oh, you're coming home with me?"

"What else am I going to do? I'm officially on leave. I get bored on my own." She laughed, unable to keep it in.

"You're such a goon." She slid into the passenger seat of the Bentley and Skulduggery took his place behind the wheel.

"You really did get my car waxed," he mused.

"I did. Even paid for the interior doing."

"Thank you." He turned the key in the ignition and the Bentley purred to life like it had missed him as much as he'd missed it. He backed out of the space and joined the streets of Roarhaven City with ease. They drove to Gordon's mansion, and Valkyrie let the journey pass in silence. She was happy to let him enjoy being back in his car and allowed to go places again.

Eventually they stopped outside the mansion and headed inside. When Valkyrie saw the hazy figure floating around downstairs she almost screamed.

"Stephanie?" Her Uncle Gordon blinked and then his eyes fell on his friend. "_Skulduggery_? When did you two meet?"

"Months ago," Valkyrie answered around the lump in her throat. "The cradle stopped charging the stone. It's been years since I've seen you."

"We were actually coming to see if you could come out again," Skulduggery added. Gordon's eyes flickered to their clasped hands.

"It felt like no time at all to me," he answered, floating closer to them. "Is there a reason you two were holding hands?"

"It's a long story," Valkyrie mumbled, blinking away her tears.

"I have all the time in the world," Gordon answered.

"We met when a man named Requiem Jones began working with Argent Bright and Maylen Dark to infect innocent people in Haggard with Vampirism. We stopped him and became partners," Skulduggery said.

"We're Arbiters," Valkyrie continued. "We operate outside Sanctuary law and we've been working cases together. And then we decided we liked one another. Very recently actually."

"Hmm. That doesn't seem like a very long story," Gordon mused.

"There's more to it than that. That's the short version," Valkyrie said.

"What's that?" Gordon pointed at the very edge of a strip of tape peeking out from under the brim of Skulduggery's hat.

"Magic tape," Valkyrie answered. "That's part of the long story." Skulduggery took off his hat, removed his gloves, and slipped off his jacket to roll up his sleeves. Gordon's eyes widened as he counted the black stripes on his friend's bones.

"Technically I've been medically signed off work. We came here to see if you were up and about yet because I'm not allowed to punch anyone." He put his hat and jacket back on, choosing to leave the gloves in a pocket.

"Well here I am," Gordon grinned. "And I'm more than a little surprised to see my niece dating one of my friends. What will your parents say, Steph?"

"They've actually met him already. They call him Doug." Skulduggery tapped his collar bones and the facade flowed up over his skull.

"My word," Gordon yelped. "The last time I saw the facade it looked like a wax model!"

"China has had a long time to perfect it. It even has a heartbeat now," Skulduggery said, smiling broadly.

"Does it still change every time?"

"No. This is the face I've chosen."

"They do say blondes have more fun." Gordon waggled his eyebrows and Skulduggery laughed.

"It's good to see you again, Gordon."

"I know," he answered, and Skulduggery's grin grew wider. "So Steph, what's it like dating a skeleton?"

"My name is Valkyrie Cain now. And it has it's moments."

"Valkyrie Cain? I like it. It suits you. I've missed so much in what feels like the blink of an eye to me." Valkyrie's phone buzzed, so she stepped away and left the two of them chatting.

"Hello?"

"Hi sweetheart!"

"Hi mum."

"How was the trip? Did you take any pictures?"

"You know, I actually didn't. I enjoyed myself so much that I just didn't think to," she answered.

"That's a shame. Still, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. It must have been wonderful."

"We ended up in a town with a nice restaurant and shops and a cinema and stuff. It even had an ornamental garden." It wasn't a lie, so she didn't feel bad telling her mum some details.

"And did you finally kiss the poor man after keeping him waiting all this time?"

"...I did." The squeal that came down the phone was so loud she had to move it away from her ear.

"Finally! Was it good?"

"Yeah, sure." She cringed, feeling uncomfortable.

"I know you don't like talking about it but I'm very happy that you saw sense. You're a lucky girl. Will you and Doug come to dinner now you're back? I'm making a roast tomorrow and thought you might like it." She paused to listen to a small voice yelling in the background. "Alice says you have to come because she wants to see Doug." Valkyrie chuckled.

"Alright, if Alice is demanding it then I suppose we'd better. We'll see you tomorrow night."

"Bye sweetheart." The line rang off and Valkyrie let out a pent up breath.

"Skulduggery?"

"Yes?"

"We're going to my parents house tomorrow night for dinner. Alice has been asking for you."

oO0Oo


	18. Chapter 18

**_Requiem: Chapter Eighteen..._**

**_Valduggery has begun! Hope you're all enjoying the story so far, here's the next chapter :)_**

* * *

oO0Oo

"This is strange," Skulduggery muttered.

"What is?"

"Feeling tired." He was sat on her sofa, one arm laid along it's back, the other gently stroking Valkyrie's hair. She was laid on her back with her head in his lap, lazily flicking through channels on the TV.

"Tired as in exercise tired or tired as in sleepy tired?" She settled on a cooking show that she wasn't interested in and set the remote aside.

"I'm not sure which one it is. I think possibly both. It's been so long since I was capable of _getting_ tired that I've almost forgotten how to recognise it."

"Why don't you try meditating?"

"I hurt too much." She sat up and turned to face him, careful not to jostle him as she moved.

"Did you feel better in the hospital bed?"

"Physically, yes. Mentally, no."

"Why don't you go lie down? You know which one is my room right?"

"If I manage to rest I don't know how long it would be before I woke up."

"Stay here for the night then. It's not like your place has a bed anyway."

"You don't mind?"

"No. Tanith decided to stay at Ghastly's tonight anyway. She said something about needing privacy and that's when I stopped listening." Skulduggery chuckled.

"What will you do?" She checked the time on her phone and got to her feet.

"Well I was going to come with you. It's almost midnight and it's rare that I get a chance to get a full night's sleep."

"Do you mind if I wear the facade? It's not much but it offers some protection if I somehow roll out of bed."

"Sure. Come on, _Doug_." She winked at him and he chuckled again and let her help him to his feet. She tapped his collar bones and the facade appeared, and she stretched up onto her toes to kiss him. She could tell he wanted to pull her tighter to him, to kiss her harder, but he pulled back. She pouted and he laughed softly.

"I _can't_, Valkyrie. I want to kiss you until your heart pounds but unfortunately I hurt too much. Even my skull is cracked." His voice was a low purr, and she could see he was resisting the urge.

"Fine," she sighed, but she smiled and kissed him again gently and then led him to her room. He followed steadily but he was still slower than usual. When they reached her bedroom he loosened his tie and draped his jacket over the hook on the back of her door. He didn't have night wear so he settled for unfastening his top two buttons and sleeping in his shirt and trousers. He turned away automatically while Valkyrie changed into her pyjamas and she smiled at his manners. He turned back when he heard the mattress shift as she crawled into the bed, and then he joined her.

"This is better than being in the hospital," he said quietly. He sounded drowsy, which was strange for him.

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh. I'm fine, it's just hard work walking around on legs held together by duct tape." He smiled groggily.

"Goof," she answered. "You should rest. If you need anything in the night just wake me up." She pressed a tender kiss to his lips as his eyes closed. He sighed, and to her it looked like he collapsed into a deep sleep as he welcomed a meditative state. His chest rose and fell slowly and his expression smoothed out. It took her much longer to get to sleep, and when she did she dreamed of bullet wounds and blood.

oO0Oo

She woke with a start, her chest heaving as she came back to reality. It was still dark. She sat up and pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, waiting for the trembling to stop.

"Valkyrie?" Skulduggery's voice in the dark was comforting. He sat up and touched her back tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"I didn't mean to disturb you," she whispered, wiping away tears she hadn't realised she'd shed.

"You didn't disturb me. Did you dream about Magnus again?" She nodded. He scooted closer and draped an arm over her shoulders, holding her close. "It will get easier," he murmured. She liked that he addressed things head on. There was no tiptoeing around it. She'd shot and killed someone. She was adjusting to that fact and he was supportive in a way that others didn't know how to be. He understood that she knew she could have done things differently. He didn't tell her that there was no way to stop it like everyone else did.

"Does it really get easier?"

"Yes. I went through something similar when I became a soldier in the war. But back then it was war and where there was one death at my hands there were many to follow." He tucked a finger under her chin, turning her head gently to look at him. "It will never go away, but it will become something that you adapt to and learn to live with, and you'll be stronger for it."

"I'm glad you don't pretend that there was nothing I could do to stop it."

"I know you're smart enough to have figured that out for yourself. You don't need me to lie to you." She leaned against him, careful not to hurt him.

"Thanks. I keep worrying that I'm not as good as I thought I was. Part of me was panicking and I just held the gun and squeezed, but part of me was glad for a minute that I did it. He hurt you and he'd killed others and I...I wanted to get him back for that."

"Sometimes life isn't as black and white as we'd like. There's good and bad in all of us. The scales can tip one way or the other and sometimes they can go back and forth many times over the course of a person's life. Just because you do something that tips the scales the wrong way doesn't mean they can't be balanced again. Give yourself time, Valkyrie. It will be alright."

"That's...surprisingly insightful."

"I have my moments." He laid back against the pillows again, pressing a hand against his chest and grimacing as the movement jarred his aching bones beneath the facade. "Come here," he said when he was settled. Valkyrie fit herself into the crook of his arm, resting one hand lightly on his chest.

"Are you sure this won't hurt you?"

"I'm in less pain than I was. The rest helps a lot." He smiled. "And I'm much better here than the Infirmary because nobody is prodding my bones and then laughing when I flinch."

"Doctor Raze doesn't like you very much."

"I've annoyed her with regular visits for years. I don't think it helps that I ignore her every time she tells me not to be reckless."

"How many times has she told you that?"

"Hundreds."

"Oh. Yeah, I can see why that might irritate her." Valkyrie turned onto her front and propped herself up on her elbows to look at him. "This is the first night we've spent together since the incredibly short stake out."

"It is. And technically the stake out was a successful investigation. We stopped him hurting that woman and stealing the necklace."

"I'm not disputing its success. I'm pointing out that this is the first night we've spent together while dating."

"I know it is. You like to state the obvious a lot."

"I do."

"Is there a reason you're doing it now?"

"I dunno. Is this not a significant moment for us?"

"What's significant about it? You've cuddled me in bed before."

"But that was an _accident_."

"Was it? Or was your subconscious already aware that you were deeply in love with me?"

"You always ruin the moment," she answered, wrinkling her nose. "I'm going to sleep." She moved to turn away from him and he snagged her waist, pulling her in until her back was against his chest.

"I'm sorry," he said into her ear. "I didn't mean to spoil it. Do you think it's possible to salvage it?" His lips tickled her skin, and when she shivered he let out a satisfied hum. "Can I take that as a yes?"

"Skulduggery?" She gasped as he nipped gently at her neck. The sensation sent a shock of electricity through her.

"Yes, Valkyrie?"

"Doctor Raze said you should rest." The words were stilted as he shifted to lay soft kisses against her throat and the line of her jaw.

"You know I never usually listen to her," he murmured, but he sighed and settled back against the pillows. Val turned over to find him laid on his side with a small smile on his face. As soon as she turned to face him he tugged her closer again.

"I didn't expect this from you." She fought to keep her voice even as his hand traced slow circles on the skin of her lower back.

"You didn't expect what?"

"I didn't know you'd be so..._smooth_." He arched an eyebrow at her, his smile growing wider.

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"You know." She blushed, unable to hide it from him even in the dark. His answering chuckle made her heart throb. "I didn't expect it to be so easy for you."

"You didn't expect _what_ to be easy for me?"

"This. Intimacy. Even without the facade you're so...confident."

"I've barely touched you."

"That's my point." His eyes flickered to the erratic pulse thrumming under the skin of her throat and his smile turned coy.

"Ah. I understand now." He leaned in towards her, bringing their lips closer. "If you think I'm confident now then you're in for a surprise when I'm healed." And then he kissed her in such a way that her thoughts ground to a halt. She felt that if her thoughts were people they'd be staring in stunned silence. It was more intense than the kiss at the stake out, more eager than the others they'd shared. It was raw and urgent and it made her knees weak and her hands tremble. Never in her life had she been kissed like that before. Her body responded even as her mind switched itself off. She was clutching the front of his shirt and then suddenly his weight was over her instead of beside her and one of his hands gripped her thigh and still he wasn't close enough. He bent to kiss her throat and then he gasped and went still. A rough chuckle escaped him a second later.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her heaving chest making the words a whisper.

"I will be," he answered. His own voice was equally strained, though now it was pain that took away the smoothness. "As fun as that was, I'm afraid I'm still too sore to go further." He lowered himself gingerly onto his side, his other hand over the aching spot on his ribs. Valkyrie squashed her disappointment and moved closer, settling herself more comfortably against him.

"Night," she said quietly.

"Goodnight." His arm tightened around her a little and she drifted back into an easier sleep, free of nightmares.

oO0Oo

She awoke alone in her bed. When she turned to see if Skulduggery was still sleeping, his side of the bed was empty. She could smell food, and her stomach growled, so she got up and followed the smell to the kitchen where she found him making eggs. He turned as she entered and she saw the familiar skull and gleaming teeth. Her feet moved before she could think about it, and then she was beside him and he was turning to her and she stretched up onto her toes to give him a kiss that he returned without hesitation, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. She liked that feeling. She wanted to hold onto it.

"You're in a good mood," he said softly, his voice rolling through her like silk against her skin. He kept her close for a moment, his arms around her waist.

"And you're burning my breakfast." He glanced at the pan on the cooker and let her go. She hoisted herself up onto the counter to sit by him while he worked, watching as he cooked with expert hands despite not needing to eat. "I can't believe you can cook."

"Scrambled eggs aren't exactly difficult." The toaster popped and he took out the heated bread and buttered it, turning off the heat under the eggs as he did so. A moment later he held a plate out to her. It smelled divine.

"Yeah but you don't need to eat, which leads to the conclusion that you also don't need to cook."

"I _like_ cooking." She took a bite and sighed gratefully. The eggs were perfect and fluffy. "And lord knows you need a decent breakfast. What on earth are _these_?" He held up a box with a coloured picture on the front.

"Pop Tarts. They're American," she shrugged.

"Since when was it normal to market this as breakfast? These things have _icing_ on them. That's a _dessert_."

"Hey, I didn't make them. I just like the taste." She swallowed another mouthful. "Although I'd be happy for you to stay more often if this is what breakfast is gonna be like when you're here. This is amazing." He bowed low and she giggled. When her breakfast was finished he took her plate and put it in the sink before moving to stand in front of where she sat on the counter top. She linked her fingers behind his head and he rested his hands on her hips.

"I'm glad you prefer my cooking over Pop Tarts," he said brightly.

"Do I ever," she grinned. "Even my mum can't make eggs like that." She cocked her head, her eyes falling on the black tape wrapped around the bones exposed at his collar. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Almost normal."

"Do you think Raze will take the tape off?"

"I don't know. I hope so. It certainly worked its magic last night." She thought about last night. She thought about how he'd held her, how he'd kissed her until she was dizzy. She felt her cheeks heat and a low chuckle escaped him as he guessed the direction in which her thoughts had turned. His teeth grazed her neck and she shivered again as his hands shifted on her thighs to lock her legs around his hips. He tapped the symbols on his collarbones and the facade flowed up over his skull so that he could kiss her as hard as he wanted without hurting her. A soft sigh escaped her as he trapped her lower lip.

"Oh my God. Will you guys stop making out in front of me?" Tanith gasped. Valkyrie froze and Skulduggery groaned and rested his forehead against Val's shoulder.

"Can you stop walking in at the worst moments?" he shot back.

"I live here," the blonde answered, folding her arms across her chest.

"When I caught you and Ghastly on the sofa you used the excuse that you live here then too. You can't have it both ways," Valkyrie answered.

"That was different," Tanith answered hesitantly.

"How?" Valkyrie waited as her friend floundered.

"Fine," she muttered, and then she walked away and left them to it.

"Would it be wrong of me to assume she killed the mood?" Skulduggery asked.

"Nope, she definitely did." He sighed and stepped back, letting her down off the counter.

"Remind me to thank her for that later."

"You're not staying?" He shook his head. "And I'm not coming with you?"

"I'm heading to the Infirmary to see Doctor Raze and then I need to speak with Detective Cole."

"Detective Cole as in the Detective Cole that hates me?"

"That would be her, yes."

"Ah. In that case I'm glad I'm not coming with you. I can only imagine she hates me even more now we're dating."

"She doesn't know yet, but I'm sure it won't help your case." He smiled and bent to kiss her again, but she reached up and tapped the symbols at his collar before he could. He cocked his head curiously, watching her with those hollow eye sockets, but said nothing as she closed the space between them and brought his mouth to her lips. When he pulled back she could feel him smiling. He excused himself and left, and Valkyrie walked into the living room to see Tanith sulking on the sofa.

"Why the long face?" Valkyrie flopped down onto the cushions beside her friend with a wide grin.

"Imagine getting admonished for walking into your own kitchen because your roommate can't keep her morning make-out sessions in the bedroom," she muttered.

"Sorry," Valkyrie answered sheepishly. "We thought you were out still. Usually you stay with Ghastly until the afternoon."

"I didn't expect Skul to stay the night if I'm honest. Sometimes I forget he's still a man." She turned her head to look at Valkyrie from the corner of her eye. "So...how was it?"

"How was what?" Valkyrie watched her, uncomprehending for a moment. A beat passed and then realisation hit. "_Oh_. No, it was nothing like that," she said quickly.

"It didn't look like that just now."

"We really didn't. We couldn't if we'd wanted to." She felt her cheeks go red. "He was too hurt."

"Ah, I see. Not for want of trying right?" Tanith winked and Val looked away. "Relax, it's just us here."

"I know, it's just...I dunno. Sometimes I wonder if there's something wrong with me for being attracted to him."

"Oh for sure. He's so _annoying_."

"That's not what I meant," she muttered.

"I know what you meant, and there's nothing wrong with you. You worry way too much." Tanith settled more comfortably against the cushions as she spoke. "Where's he rushing off to without you?"

"The Infirmary first, then he's meeting Detective Cole."

"Ah. I understand why he left you behind now."

"It's not like I became his partner just to spite her."

"_I_ know that, but _she_ doesn't see it the same way. She worked for years to become Prime Detective in the hope that it would catch Skul's attention, and then you swoop in and _bam_. That partner spot filled up in the blink of an eye. She's literally been in love with him since she joined the Sanctuary. Becoming his partner was her dream and in her eyes you snatched that away."

"I feel kinda bad now." Valkyrie bit her lip sheepishly.

"Don't," Tanith answered, waving a dismissive hand. "There's a reason he never picked her. She's a simpering idiot."

"I thought Skulduggery would be flattered by somebody hanging from his every word."

"He is if he sees them as his equal. Cole isn't smart, or cunning, or witty. The only reason she's a good detective is because of her ability to sense when she is being lied to. Skulduggery knows that and he doesn't appreciate it. He prefers people that are on his level."

"You think I'm on his level?"

"You _are_ his level." The blonde woman grinned. "I knew it when I met you that you two were made for each other. You gravitate towards one another. Sure he has friends like Ghastly and I, and he appreciates China's intelligence, but he doesn't connect with anyone else the way he does with you."

"What about the Dead Men?"

"Skul values them all highly, especially Ghastly, but that doesn't mean he truly connects with them. He's been waiting a long time for you."

"That's really heavy. We literally _just_ started dating."

"Oh it's not about dating. It's not even about love. You two are soulmates in every sense of the word. Whether that be as friends, lovers, enemies, whatever. You're meant to be together and your paths will continue to cross until one or both of you dies." She grinned again. "Which means you and I will continue to hang out indefinitely." Valkyrie chuckled and they lapsed into companionable chatter, but in the back of her mind she played Tanith's words over and over again. Soulmates. Was it really true?

oO0Oo


	19. Chapter 19

**_Requiem: Chapter Nineteen..._**

**_Thank you again to everyone that has read and reviewed my fic, I know there aren't many of you that do leave reviews but I appreciate them all :)_**

* * *

oO0Oo

"Do I have to?" Valkyrie whined.

"Yes," Skulduggery's voice was smooth at other end of the line. "I think you'd appreciate hearing this in person. Fletcher is coming, I'll see you soon." The line clicked dead and Valkyrie barely had time to roll her eyes before the Teleporter appeared in her living room.

"Hey beautiful," he grinned.

"If Skulduggery hears you call her that he'll snap your arms off," Tanith said without looking up from her phone.

"Who's going to tell him?"

"I might," she answered. Panic flickered across his face for a moment before he settled back into nonchalance.

"Is that jealousy I hear, Miss Low?"

"Nope." She finished her game of Angry Birds and slipped her phone into a pocket, getting to her feet and shooting him a grin. "And Ghastly will snap your _neck_ if he hears you flirting with me." The colour drained from Fletcher's cheeks and he held his hands out to them in silence. The girls fetched their weapons from the table before joining him, and a moment later they were standing in Detective Cole's office.

She was a small woman with sharp eyes and an even sharper nose. She would have been pretty if it weren't for that nose and the permanent scowl she loved so much. As soon as Valkyrie arrived the scowl twisted into a sneer.

"Arbiters Low and Cain, thank you for joining us. Mr Renn, thank you for fetching them, you may leave now." Her voice was nice to listen to, like a kind teacher even as she burned holes in Valkyrie's face with her glare. She sat behind her desk with her hands clasped on its surface, surrounded by several folders and stacks of paper.

"You can't just call on me to fetch and carry and then dismiss me whenever you feel like it," Feltcher warned.

"I can and I have. You may go."

"I want him to stay," Valkyrie countered.

"As nice as it is to see you jumping to the aid of your friend, Arbiter Cain, this is _my_ office and we are in _my_ Sanctuary. Therefore we operate by _my_ rules. And I want the Teleporter to leave."

"Fletcher Renn stays," Skulduggery said smoothly from behind them. Valkyrie turned to see him leaning against the wall with his hat pulled low over his eye sockets as he surveyed them. His arms were folded casually across his chest. "This Sanctuary is ruled by Elders Vex, Sorrows and Bespoke, not you. And while this may be your office, Arbiters work outside of Sanctuary law. As head of the Arbiter Corps I believe _I_ outrank _you_ in this situation."

"Skulduggery-"

"Cheif Arbiter Pleasant, if you please." Valkyrie hid a grin and Cole narrowed her eyes.

"Cheif Arbiter Pleasant, I must ask that you cooperate with us willingly while you are in partnership with the Irish Sanctuary."

"And I will do so wherever necessary. Right now, I find it necessary to pull rank. Fletcher stays." He pushed away from the wall and came to stand beside Valkyrie as he spoke, his tone never changing from its pleasant cadence.

"Very well," the detective answered through gritted teeth.

"Thank you. Now I believe you have news to share with us regarding our ongoing investigation into the activities of a Miss Maylen Dark, correct?"

"Yes." The detective regained her composure and regarded each of them in a cool, detached manner. When her eyes fell on Skulduggery they lingered there. "For months we have searched for her and found nothing. We would have abandoned said search a while ago if not for your insistence on chasing her. Last night she was spotted in Haggard."

"Where?" Valkyrie's skin prickled at the thought of such a dangerous Vampire loose near her childhood home. What if she attacked her family?

"The site of the old Sanctuary, underneath the wax works museum."

"But it was destroyed," Tanith pointed out.

"It was. She was seen not far from the area. Not long after, two of my people turned up dead and a third is missing. We have sentries posted throughout Haggard to keep an eye on your...activities. They will alert me if she is sighted again."

"Forgive me if I've misunderstood, Detective. Did you imply that you've been watching us?" Skulduggery's tone was still pleasant but Valkyrie could hear the sharpened steel hidden underneath. Suddenly she was glad to be standing on his side of the desk.

"I keep tabs on all those I do not trust."

"But seven months ago you trusted me enough to want to become my partner. What changed?"

"Many things." Cole's lips were a thin line as she surveyed them, her irritation barely concealed.

"Oh? Like what? Perhaps the fact that I found somebody more suited to the role?" Skulduggery dropped the pleasantries suddenly, and the razor's edge came out in full force. Valkyrie watched with grim satisfaction as the detective shrank back slightly in her chair.

"Your choice is your own. While I may not agree with it, I respect it."

"Enough to have spies following us? That's a strange way to show you trust someone." He leaned forwards and placed both of his hands flat on her desk. "If I find you continuing to spy on us I will send your _sentries_ back to you on broken legs. Do I make myself clear?" Cole's throat moved as she swallowed nervously.

"I'll withdraw them immediately," she answered hoarsely.

"Excellent." Skulduggery straightened up, returning to his usual brightness like he hadn't just scared the wits out of her. "I do love a good compromise. Now then, let's get to the museum and see what we can find." He turned to the rest of his team as he spoke. "Valkyrie, you and I will search the rooftops. Tanith and Fletcher, I need you two to see what you can find on the ground." He turned back to the woman behind the desk and tipped his hat to her. "Detective." Valkyrie felt Fletcher's hand on her shoulder and she reached out to touch Skulduggery just as they teleported.

The wax works museum was a crumbled heap of charred rubble, surrounded by a high construction fence to seal it off from the rest of the world. When the Desolation Engine destroyed it the general public had been told it was built over an old mine shaft, and that the mine beneath had collapsed and taken the building with it. The truth was that a bunch of psychopaths had destroyed it with a magical Weapon of Mass Destruction, and nobody had bothered to buy the land to restore it since.

"This place gave me the creeps when it was still standing. Now it's ten times worse," Tanith shuddered as Fletcher disappeared and reappeared on the inside of the fence. "If we see anything we'll call you." She cleared the wooden barrier in one graceful leap.

"Shall we?" Skulduggery offered his arm as he spoke. Valkyrie rolled her eyes, but allowed him to pull her close and take them up to the nearby rooftops. As their feet touched down he let her go and she looked out over the ruins of the museum.

"What was the old Sanctuary like?"

"Honestly? Unimpressive. It had a wax statue of Phil Lynott that opened the door for you, and the Grand Mage's desk was solid gold. Other than that it was relatively boring."

"Did anything survive the explosion?"

"Anything in the vicinity was turned to dust. Many incredibly valuable magical artefacts were lost." His head tilted. "Even the Bentley was almost destroyed. She fell into the crater."

"She looks pretty unharmed to me. Good as new even."

"You can thank my excellent mechanic for that." Skulduggery's head swivelled as he scanned the rooftop. "There doesn't seem to be anything here. Let's check the next one." She nodded and followed him as he ran to the edge. They used the air the help them across the gap between roof tops, searching each one in turn until Valkyrie stopped and crouched down.

"Over here," she said. Skulduggery hunkered down next to her, peering at the cracked stone roof. On the ground was a brownish splatter.

"Blood. She killed one of the sentries here." He took a small pouch out of his pocket and opened it up, sifting his fingers through the dust inside. He took a pinch and sprinkled it in the air. As the dust scattered, it turned a dazzling blue, refracting shards of sunlight as it glittered. "She used her gift, and very recently. Why would she need to use her gift if she's simply dispatching her spies?" He directed the question at Valkyrie. She rose from her crouch and set her hands on her hips, looking at the powder as it sifted through the air.

"Maybe she wanted to know who sent them?"

"They were Sanctuary agents. She knew that already."

"Alright...what if they had information she wanted?"

"Information on what?" She could tell he already knew the answer, but she appreciated him giving her the chance to come to her own conclusion. He was an excellent teacher.

"...What if she's still after the armour?"

"She'd already know where that is as well."

"But maybe she thought the agents could help her find out how to bypass the security?"

"Perhaps. Are you sure though?"

"No." Valkyrie frowned and chewed her lip, thinking back through everything that had happened in the months prior. She thought about their talks with Requiem and all the evidence they'd managed to gather. And then it hit her. "_Tenebrae's notes_. She wants _Vile_. She was trying to find out a way to access the things seized from his house."

"Exactly. Maylen isn't after the armour. She's after the person that owns it. Requiem believed Lord Vile was alive." There was a strange hollowness to his voice as he spoke. "If she finds the notebooks she finds Vile."

"You think he's alive too?"

"Oh I know he is. The one thing Vile won't do is die." He cocked his head, deep in thought. "If she thinks the agents knew about the notebooks then it stands to reason that they were seized when Requiem's home was raided."

"They were at his house?"

"A man like Requiem would never leave something so valuable out in the open. If he was able to find it then somebody else would be able to find them too."

"So if the Sanctuary has Tenebrae's notes why haven't they gone ahead and launched a full scale search for Lord Vile?"

"That's the part that _is_ interesting," Skulduggery answered. Valkyrie chewed her lip again.

"What if Requiem did something to them to make them unreadable?" His head lifted to look at her.

"_Of course_," he said softly. "There are spells that can be cast to translate texts into something that can only be read by specific people."

"What are the odds of you being one of those people?" Valkyrie asked.

"Surprisingly high," Skulduggery answered with a shrug. "Requiem was taunting me in the interview. I'm willing to bet you'd be able to read it too. It strikes me as something that would amuse him immensely."

"So we need to find the notes before Maylen?"

"We do. It should be easy enough to do it, since we have access to the Sanctuary and Maylen would have to break in." He seemed calm enough but there was something in his voice that made her think he was uncomfortable.

"So do we go now?"

"We go now." He took out his phone and dialled a number. "Fletcher, can you take us back to the Sanctuary and then continue searching the perimeter here with Tanith?"

"Sure thing," Fletcher answered as he appeared between them. Valkyrie heard the line crackle and die as it struggled to cope with the sudden change in proximity. The Teleporter put a hand on each of them and in the blink of an eye they were in the Sanctuary foyer. Fletcher shot her a wink and disappeared again. Skulduggery didn't seem to notice. He led them to the Sanctuary evidence locker in silence.

"You're awfully quiet," she remarked.

"There's a reason for that."

"And that is...?"

"You may not like what you read in the notes if you are able to read them."

"What do you mean?"

"Just promise me that, whatever you find, you'll give me a chance to explain it. Can you do that?"

"I promise," she answered without hesitation. He watched her for a moment before nodding. The slight undertone in his words and the worry in his posture gnawed at her as they walked. By the time they reached the locker her nerves jittered and her heart was hammering hard in her chest. Skulduggery took out his ID and flashed it in front of the electronic lock. It beeped and the door slid smoothly open. Behind it were row upon row of boxes, all neatly organised by alphabet.

"We'll start with J. The notes may have belonged to Tenebrae but they seized them in Requiem's home." Valkyrie nodded and followed him through the stacks, feeling as though she were trudging through mud. She tried to shake it off, but Skulduggery's ominous warning bounced around in her head. "Here it is."

"Skul?"

"Yes?"

"Should I be afraid of what I'm about to read?" He watched her with those hollow eye sockets for a second, considering his words.

"That is a decision only you can make, Valkyrie." She nodded, swallowing around the lump in her throat as he pulled the box from its place on the shelf, opened it up and searched through it. It wasn't long before he found an old leather-bound note book with yellowed pages. He quickly checked the contents for anything else that might help them before deciding there was nothing and putting the box back. He tucked the notebook under his arm and they left, closing the locker behind them.

"Where are we going?"

"To my car."

"I know that. I meant _after_."

"I was hoping we could go back to yours, or to my home." He looked away. "Somewhere private is probably best while reading through the contents of the book."

"Alright. My apartment is closest." He nodded and lapsed into silence. As they reached the Bentley he unlocked the doors and slid into the driver's seat, clicking his seatbelt closed before Valkyrie had even shut the door. The notebook was on the dashboard.

"Will you keep hold of it for me? I don't want it sliding around while we drive." She nodded, fastened her seatbelt and put the book on her lap. She knew it was her imagination, but as they got closer to her home she felt as though the book were getting heavier and heavier, weighing her down. When the Bentley pulled smoothly into the apartment car park she was sure she wouldn't be able to lift it and climb out. Skulduggery leaned over and took it from her, confirming that her imagination was running amock.

_It's just a notebook. The writings of a dead man. That's all. _She kept repeating it over and over, trying to convince herself that it wasn't as bad as Skulduggery was making it seem as they ascended the stairs. She unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside awkwardly, suddenly feeling like a stranger in her own living room. She sat on the sofa and Skulduggery sat beside her. She waited while he examined the pages.

"Can you read it?"

"I can." The hollowness was back. "And it says exactly what I expected it to." He held it out to her, and she took it carefully, treating it as though it were an angry snake waiting to bite her.

"Are you sure Requiem would have made me one of the people that could read it? We hadn't known each other very long when he was arrested. He didn't know I was significant."

"Oh he knew. A man as clever as him keeps a close eye on his enemies. He knew I could stop his insidious little plot, and I have no doubt that he knows at least one Sensitive willing to keep tabs on me and my future. He probably learned you existed around the same time I did, when the vision of me shooting you first appeared."

"But that still doesn't explain why he would make me one of the people that could read the notebook."

"I suppose he and I both knew from the vision that you would become important to me one day. That's what I'm guessing, at least." His head tilted slightly. "And my hunches are usually right."

"I'm not sure I want to read what's in here. It sounds bad."

"That's up to you. As an Arbiter you need to read it to understand what Maylen's next move might be."

"And if I don't like what I read?"

"Then we will handle that when it happens."

"Before I read it," she said cautiously, "is there a reason we left Tanith and Fletcher behind?"

"Yes. It's unlikely that they'll be able to read anything in here. The enchantment on the book is strong enough that even China Sorrows couldn't dismantle it. Also the secrets within cannot be shared with just anyone. I trust you with my life so I would like you to read it." He placed a gentle hand on her leg. "I would also like you to know before you do read it that I care about you deeply. Nothing will change that." He withdrew his hand and sat back, waiting for her to open the book and look at its contents.

Instead, she kissed him. The urge to do it was too strong to ignore, and the dread pooling in her stomach gave her the awful premonition that the time she had left with him could be limited. He grunted in surprise, but willingly returned the embrace after a moment. When she sat back she was breathless and dizzy, and glad that she'd done it. Without saying a word, she opened the book and looked down at the sloping script on the page.

_Upon my travels I have witnessed a great many oddities. The secret war has birthed atrocities the likes of which this world has never seen. The things we have done would make the eyes of the mortals bleed and drip from their sockets. The war itself rages around me even as I write. Yes, many oddities have reared their heads. The Dead Men are one of these such oddities. A group of men whose purpose is to take on missions that should guarantee their death, and yet they return alive time after time. Two members of their group are largely responsible for this. Anton Shudder, and Skulduggery Pleasant._

_Anton is an Adept, and his discipline is both rare and dangerous. I find it fascinating that a man may birth a creature of violence and destruction from his very soul, fueled by his hatred. His gist is among the most ferocious of them all. It fights with fang and claw and kills all in its path, and then Shudder drags it back inside himself, overcoming all that fury and hatred through sheer force of will. It is a wonder that will never cease to amaze me._

_Skulduggery Pleasant is a different kind of wonder. He is undead, a skeleton returned to life thanks to me. Nefarian Serpine killed him with the Red Right Hand, but Pleasant had the potential to become a powerful Necromancer. Perhaps even our Death Bringer. I had to do something to stop such strength from being wasted. I made it impossible for Serpine to completely kill him with his little trick. Instead Skulduggery's soul was bound to his body the moment Nefarian pointed at him. It was believed for some time that Skulduggery was completely gone, and why wouldn't it be believed? Serpine burned his body on a pike for all to see. His passing was enough to turn the tide in Mevolent's favour. He watched as the war drew closer to being lost, and then he came back._

_And then there is Lord Vile. Infamous. Dangerous. He has the power to change the world at his fingertips, if he so wishes. Vile does not care who his enemy is, so long as there is an enemy to fight. Vile came to the Temple to seek tutelage, and I truly believed our Death Bringer had come to us at last. But he turned on us to join Mevolent. So consumed by rage was he that he abandoned his teachings for the war. He turned death into art, laying waste to thousands of lives as easily as snuffing out a candle. It was a beautiful sight. For five years he decimated entire battlefields. And then he vanished without a trace._

_Skulduggery Pleasant's return to the war was a shock to all. All except me. How strange that he should disappear as Vile rises, and then reappear as Vile falls. Nobody questioned this. Nobody wanted to know why he chose to come back when he did, or where he had been. Nobody except me. I saw the rage that fuelled the immense power that Lord Vile wielded. The same rage that sustained Pleasant after the murder of his wife and child. I saw that rage and I knew the two of them were one and the same._

_Skulduggery Pleasant **is** Lord Vile._

Valkyrie read the last sentence again. And then she read it a third time. A fourth. And then a fifth. And then she looked up at Skulduggery with wide eyes and tried to say his name, but all that came out was a strangled croak. She swallowed and tried a different sentence.

"Is this a joke?"

"I'm afraid not."

"You mean it's _true_?"

"It is." He didn't deny it or try to hide it. He simply sat and waited.

"Why did you tell me?" Her mind was spinning. How could Skulduggery be a mass murderer? He was the good guy, wasn't he?

"If I didn't tell you then Requiem or Maylen would have told you instead. I wanted it to come from me." He turned his head to look away. "I also knew that if I chose not to tell you, it would be impossible to continue investigating the crimes they committed with you by my side. That in itself would have made you suspicious of my motives."

"I don't understand," she said softly, letting the notebook hit the carpet with a thud. "You're supposed to be the good guy."

"When my wife and daughter were murdered in front of me something inside me snapped. I felt rage like nothing I'd ever experienced before. It consumed me even as I died. When I returned, the rage came with me. I fell into it with no way to climb out. I was so overwhelmed by it that in the blink of an eye Skulduggery Pleasant was gone and Lord Vile stood in his place." He sighed softly, his voice taking on a far away tone as he remembered his crimes. "I lost count of how many people I struck down as Lord Vile. I worked with Mevolent because he offered me the opportunity to exercise my rage on the battlefield. The armour protected my identity and channelled the raw power inside me. I became a monster. I killed Ghastly's mother."

"You _what_?"

"I killed his mother. And that was what snapped me back to my senses. Just like that, Vile was gone and I was back in control. I've spent every day since then trying to atone for the monster I became." His voice grew softer, edged with pain. "They should have left me to the Faceless Ones when I was pulled through the portal. It was what I deserved. I will never make up for the terrible things I've done."

"And now Maylen wants to, what? Use you to steal the armour?"

"Maylen Dark wants to _reunite_ Vile with the armour. And then Requiem intends to use Vile as his tool."

"What happens if they try that?"

"It isn't a matter of _if_, Valkyrie. It is a matter of _when_."

oO0Oo

* * *


	20. Chapter 20

**_Requiem: Chapter Twenty..._**

**_Updates are getting slightly slower due to being back at work but I will continue to add chapters whenever I can. Here's the next one :)_**

* * *

oO0Oo

"I still don't understand." Tears had begun to track their way down Valkyrie's cheeks. "You're _good_. You're supposed to be the _good_ guy. How could you be Lord Vile?"

"When somebody kills everything you love right in front of you it does strange things to your mind. Everything in me that was bad became so overwhelming that it split off and snuffed out the rational part of me. Vile and I share the same body, but we are different."

"How could you fight on the same side as the man that murdered your family?"

"I didn't. _Vile_ did. Serpine murdered _my_ family, not Vile's. As I said, my rage was strong enough to take on a personality of its own. That other side of me didn't have family or morals. All he cared about was the fight."

"So Lord Vile is what, your alter ego?"

"In a sense, yes."

"And when you were him you didn't have a connection to any of your friends? You didn't care about anybody?"

"Vile and I are aware of one another, and we see ourselves as entirely separate from each other. He recognises people that mean something to me, but does not care about them. He would sooner kill them."

"Why would Requiem want to bring Vile back?"

"You saw in your vision that he can control people. There are few more powerful than Lord Vile. Requiem plans to use his gift to control that part of me."

"But Vile is gone right? You're you again. How would he even bring Vile out?"

"All he would have to do is get me into the armour."

"I don't understand why you're telling me this. If this got out you'd be locked in the Gaol forever. All I have to do is tell someone the truth."

"I know."

"And you trust me not to tell anyone?"

"I trust you to do what you believe is right." He sighed. "If that means turning me in then that's your decision."

Valkyrie sat beside him in silence for a long time, pondering the impossibility that Skulduggery and Lord Vile were one and the same. Or were they? He admitted that Lord Vile was an aspect of himself, but he also said they viewed each other as separate. He told her Lord Vile had no loved ones and cared only about the battle. But Skulduggery _did_ have people he cared about, and she knew even in the few months she'd known him that he would never side with the people that destroyed everything he loved. He was charming and witty and fiercely intelligent. He was loyal to his friends. He would lay down his life to protect any one of them.

She thought about all the things she'd heard over the years, all the amazing tales of how he and his friends had saved the world over and over again. She thought of how many stories she'd been told where he was almost killed. And she remembered how, even when threatened with the possibility of being shot by him, she'd still thought she might like to meet him even once.

The vision came back to her. The sight of her on her knees in front of him as he trembled, the way she'd looked up at him with no remorse, no hatred. Did the version of her in that vision know his truth? And when it shifted to Lord Vile taking her life, did she know the truth then too? Is that why she told him she forgave him?

He truly had spent his life trying to make up for the things he did in his short time as Lord Vile. She understood now where his recklessness came from. It wasn't overconfidence. It was a complete disregard for his own safety, because he believed that he was worthless in the aftermath of his crimes.

"I forgive you." The words came out as a whisper, her brain barely registering that she'd spoken them.

"You...what?"

"I forgive you. For everything you have done and everything you may do." She took a deep breath. "Maybe having someone forgive you will help you begin to forgive yourself."

"Why, Valkyrie? I don't deserve to be forgiven for the things I've done."

"You said it yourself. You've spent every day since trying to atone for your crimes. You let yourself get hurt and you take unnecessary risks over and over again because you're punishing yourself. You're always at the front of every potential world ending disaster, trying to hold it back, because you feel that's where you should be. You took thousands of lives during the war, but since then you've saved _billions_. How many times must you risk your life? How many times must you be injured and how long must you suffer before it's finally enough?" She turned to him and took his hand. "I think it _has_ been enough. _More_ than enough."

"Valkyrie..." He trailed off, unable to speak.

"You lost your family and it broke you. It drove you to do horrible things, but the good you've done for this world over and over again far outweighs the wrongdoings. There are people who will always remember the bad things over the good, but that doesn't make the good things any less important."

"I...I don't know what to say."

"That's a first," she answered. He chuckled softly. "The great Skulduggery Pleasant, speechless."

"It is a rare occurrence," he agreed. The silence settled around them in a blanket again, loaded and heavy as he processed her words. "Sacrament was right about you," he said finally.

"What do you mean?"

"Sacrament sees visions of the future like his mother, but his Sight sometimes, very rarely, gives him premonitions as well." His head tilted slightly. "He told me the first time we saw a vision of you that you would walk into my life and turn it on its head. He was right."

"But it's you that turned _my_ life upside down. I was a teacher in a mortal school before all this started."

"And I was a self-hating skeleton with an excellent sense of style who believed he didn't deserve to be happy."

"So what are you now?"

"Hmm." He thought for a moment. "I will always hate myself for the things I've done. And I'll _always_ be effortlessly stylish. But perhaps I am allowed to be happy too."

"Even during an epiphany you can't resist complimenting yourself, can you?"

"It's a talent really."

"Idiot," she retorted, but she was grinning again. And just like that, she realised that she accepted him as he was. She acknowledged he was capable of horrible things, and yet she trusted him to stay on the right path. And she realised at the same time that he trusted her to help him stay on that path.

"Valkyrie?"

"Yeah?" She turned to face him, and he took her hand in his.

"I'm in love with you." Valkyrie blinked. "I'm aware that it's a sudden revelation on the back of a much larger revelation. And I'm just now realising that this revelation comes from the mouth of a self-confessed mass murderer with a split personality. It's alright if it's too much, I would understand. I mean it's not everyday that-"

"You're babbling Skul."

"Right." He fell silent and looked away, moving to pull his hand away. She tightened her grip, keeping hold of his fingers. He looked back at her slowly.

"I don't know what this is for me yet, Skulduggery. I'm twenty two and I don't have a whole lot of life experience. I don't know if I'd even know _how_ to recognise love. But I do know that I care about you deeply, and I wholeheartedly believe that we were always meant to meet." She squeezed his fingers gently. "I think it could become love. I...I want to see what happens between us. Regardless of your past. I hope that's enough for you for now."

"It's more than I hoped for." She leaned forward to kiss him gently, relaxing as he leaned into it. He pulled back and tapped his collar, the facade flowing up over his skull. As soon as it settled he brought her back to him and kissed her, slow and deep. Valkyrie's heart thundered in her chest as he pulled her onto his lap. She settled over him without breaking the embrace, her knees resting on either side of his hips. His hands traced her waist, his fingers slipping just beneath the edge of her shirt. Her lips found his throat and the groan that escaped him made her brave. She loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, dragging her nails lightly over the exposed skin. He responded by pulling her closer, fitting her body flush against his as his tongue slipped between her lips. She couldn't help the sound she made, and her fingers knotted in his hair. He seemed to appreciate it, because the intensity of the kiss increased even further and Valkyrie was reminded of when he'd backed her up against the Bentley. Heat curled in her belly as he slipped her shirt over her head. She slid off his lap and took his hand, pulling him to his feet. His eyes roved over her as he followed her into the bedroom and closed the door softly behind them.

oO0Oo

"I haven't done _that_ for a very long time," Skulduggery said softly. His voice was liquid gold, rolling over her as his fingers stroked the skin of her bare back.

"Are you sure? Because you seemed like you knew what you were doing." His answering chuckle was musical.

"I think I'd remember, don't you?" She reached out to tap his collar bones and the facade flowed away as she propped herself up on her elbows to look at him.

"Is it weird that I prefer you like this?" He cocked his head.

"There's probably a mortal psychiatrist somewhere who would be concerned that you're attracted to a living skeleton, yes. But we don't live in the mortal world." She felt him smile in good humour. "Of course _our_ psychiatrists would be more concerned with the fact that you slept with me despite my history."

"Says the man that killed his ex-girlfriend by cutting out her heart and putting it in a box," Valkyrie retorted.

"She didn't die _permanently_ from it. She _sort of_ died. She _semi_ died." He shrugged. "She could still come back at any time if the right process is followed to revive her."

"Where's the rest of her?"

"Pardon?"

"The rest of her. You know, the bits that _aren't_ her heart?"

"Haven't the foggiest. Buried I think. Burnt maybe?"

"I love how casually you talk about murder."

"I prefer to think of it as saving the world from a maniacal woman that believed she was a princess fated to rule the planet."

"Idiot," Valkyrie chuckled.

"You call me an idiot and yet you're dating me, so who's really the idiot here?"

"You got me there," she answered. She felt him smile, and he sighed as her fingertips traced the tape on his ribs gently.

"I'm truly sorry that you had to find out the truth that way. If it weren't for Tenebrae's notes I could have kept it to myself."

"I'm glad I know. I know now just how much you trust me." She hesitated. "Does Ghastly know?"

"No. The only people that know about it are you and I, and Requiem of course. But I doubt he'll out me. He wants to _use_ me, and having me thrown in the Gaol won't help his plan at all."

"What do we do with the notes?"

"I'm not sure. It makes sense to either keep them with us or destroy them. If we keep them close we may be able to draw Maylen out and arrest her."

"If we destroy Sanctuary evidence won't people ask questions?"

"They will. So I think our best option is to keep it with us for now. We can decide what to do with it once this is all over."

"And what does 'over' mean in this situation?"

"Well, the good version is that we arrest Maylen before she can do any harm and life goes on as it did before."

"And the other version?"

"Maylen manages to get me into the armour and Lord Vile destroys everything I care about." A loud ringing cut off their conversation as Skulduggery's phone lit up. He leaned over to grab it and answered the call, putting it on speaker. "Hello?"

"The visions. I'm seeing them again Skulduggery." Valkyrie's insides went cold as Sacrament Ballad's voice filled the room. "Come to my cabin as soon as you can. Bring Valkyrie."

"We'll be there in an hour." The line went dead and Skulduggery let the phone drop onto the mattress beside them. "Never a minute's peace," he muttered. Valkyrie sighed and dragged herself out of bed, tugging on her armoured clothing. Skulduggery activated his facade and put his suit back on, and in a few minutes they were leaving the apartment without a word. They climbed into the Bentley and Skulduggery pulled into the evening traffic. The setting sun cast long shadows over the streets. By the time they reached the cabin it was dark.

"Thank you for calling me," Skulduggery said as they greeted Sacrament. He nodded politely.

"I said I would contact you if anything changed." He led them to the basement without saying anything further. When Valkyrie's feet touched the metal grills the water was already pouring onto the burning coals. Steam billowed upwards in lazy puffs, coiling around Sacrament's ankles as the water shut off and he shook out his mother's yellow umbrella. Valkyrie watched with bated breath, her eyes glued to the undulating white cloud. Nothing happened at first, and then she saw a shadow flicker in the steam.

oO0Oo

_Valkyrie was injured. Blood seeped from a wound on her shoulder, and as she ran her left foot dragged behind her. Her armoured coat was gone and her arms were lacerated all the way down. Droplets of blood flew from her fingertips as she limped through the streets. She was in a city, running down a street away from something. Her breath came in laboured gasps and the way she held herself as she ran suggested more than one broken rib._

_A tendril of blackness snaked out and knocked her legs from beneath her, and she cried out as she went down hard. Lord Vile stepped out of a cloud of shadows and looked down at her with his head tilted._

_"The Death Bringer," he rasped. "They called me that once."_

_"Please," Valkyrie whispered, spitting blood into the concrete. "That's not me, I'm not her."_

_"Come now, there's no need to lie to me, Darquesse."_

_"My name is Valkyrie Cain!" she roared, ignoring the red running down her chin. She pushed at the air angrily and Vile swatted her away with a club of shadows. She wheezed as she hit the floor, coughing more blood onto the tarmac._

_"I know your name. And so do you. Come to me, dark one." He raised an arm and Valkyrie cried out as darkness surrounded her, forcing it's way down her throat and through her eyes. She gagged and choked, and then she disappeared completely as the blackness covered her._

_After a moment it dissipated, and Valkyrie was kneeling. Her hair billowed around her as though suspended in water, and shadows coiled and snapped around her hands. And then she rose in one fluid movement, her feet leaving the ground as she floated in front of Lord Vile, elevating herself until she was eye level with him._

_"It's good to be free," Darquesse said with a smile as her wounds closed over. She wore Valkyrie's face, and she had Valkyrie's voice, but it wasn't her anymore. "Why did you call for me?"_

_"I felt it was a waste to leave you trapped inside the mind of a lesser being." Darquesse tilted her head, watching him as a slow smile spread across her face._

_"You need my help."_

_"You are smarter than you look."_

_"Why should I help you?"_

_"The man controlling me wants me to kill you. He believes his corruption of me is absolute."_

_"Isn't it?" Darquesse crossed her legs, sitting in midair. "You woke me up just like he asked. Like a good little pet."_

_"And yet you are not dead."_

_"What makes you think you're strong enough to kill me?" Vile's laugh was chilling._

_"You and I are fated to destroy each other. Can you not feel it?"_

_"You **do** look like you could be fun." She grinned again. "What do you need?"_

_"Kill Requiem Jones. If you do that his control over me will be broken."_

_"And why didn't you ask Valkyrie to kill him?"_

_"Valkyrie could never be a murderer. You, on the other hand..."_

_"I like to have fun," she beamed. She floated closer to him. "When Requiem is dead, I'm coming after you. And when you're dead, I'm going to destroy **everything**."_

_"I always did like a challenge," Vile chuckled._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie stared at Skulduggery as the smoke dissipated. He was looking back at her, his posture suggesting an equal degree of shock.

"I dreamed of her," Valkyrie mumbled. "I dreamed of her months ago and she spoke with my voice and she wanted to destroy Lord Vile. I'm not a Sensitive. How did I dream of her?"

"Perhaps it was a premonition," Sacrament answered softly. "Who was she?"

"I don't know."

"Perhaps we should take some time to think about what we've seen," Skulduggery said. "Whatever that was, we need to avert it. If Lord Vile is going to somebody for help then the person he asks is as formidable as him."

"A meeting between the two of them would spell disaster for the rest of the world," Sacrament said. "The premonition that accompanies that vision is incredibly strong. If Darquesse and Lord Vile are allowed to fight one another they will destroy everything."

"Then it seems we'd better stop that from happening," Skulduggery answered.

"If I see anything else I'll call you."

"As always, your help is greatly appreciated Sacrament." The Sensitive bowed slightly and bid them goodbye, letting them leave. As they got back into the car Valkyrie let her fear show.

"Skul, I think I know what that was. I think...I think Darquesse is my true name." She felt it in her soul. She knew it was the truth.

"Then it would seem I am not the only one with a darker half. What a pair we make," he said softly.

"That vision and Sacrament's premonition suggest that you and I bring about the end of the world."

"Darquesse and Vile, not us."

"But it's our job to stop it, right?"

"It is."

"And how do we do that?"

"We find Maylen Dark." Valkyrie's phone buzzed loudly. She fished it out of her pocket and held it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Val, you and Skulduggery need to get to the Sanctuary as fast as you can. Maylen is here and she has an army of Infected with her. She's freed Requiem and Argent from the Gaol and she's going after the armour with them. Fletcher is down, you'll have to hurry to us." Skulduggery stamped on the accelerator, guiding the car through the night with expert hands.

"We'll be there soon, hang on Tanith." The call clicked off and Valkyrie felt the dread settle in her stomach. "Our enemies are free."

"They are."

"And they're going for the armour."

"It would seem so."

"And we're heading right for them."

"Yes we are."

"I hope to God you know what you're doing."

"I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing. But it's probably going to be something heroic and dangerous. Are you up for that?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really."

"Then I guess I'm up for it."

oO0Oo

The Sanctuary was a mess. Bodies lay strewn across the foyer and the sound of fighting echoed through the corridors from further in. Valkyrie grimaced as she stepped over the body of the Administrator. Her eyes stared unseeingly upwards, her hands still clutching the tablet she always carried. Like many of the bodies, parts of her appeared rotten. Black veins spread under the skin and her flesh was mottled and dried in places.

"Skul are you seeing this?"

"Yes. It seems we have another Neoteric on our hands. Stay alert." He drew his revolver and checked to make sure it was loaded. Valkyrie didn't have the quarter staff with her, so she picked up a scythe from nearby the body of a fallen Cleaver. It was well balanced despite the wicked blade on one end.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the Cleaver on the ground, knowing he couldn't hear her but feeling the need to say it anyway. She gripped the scythe in both hands and turned away, following her partner as he picked his way through the bodies. He reached the first corner and held up a hand for her to stop. She waited, and then he signalled for her to go. She moved forwards silently, approaching the next corner with caution. She motioned for the skeleton to stop and he did. She took a breath, steadied herself, and then rounded the corner to find another empty corridor. They continued on like that until they reached the area where the fighting was coming from. Skulduggery nodded for her to go forwards and they rounded the last corner together.

Dexter Vex and Tanith Low grappled with four Infected. Tanith was on the ceiling slashing away with her blade while Vex threw heavy punches at anything he could reach. Skulduggery leapt in and slammed an elbow into the side of the nearest one's head, dropping it with one blow as Valkyrie whirled and cracked the staff of the scythe into the shins of another before kicking him solidly in the head. Tanith and Dexter swung for the same Infected at the same time, and Tanith grinned as it crumpled. Skulduggery dispatched the last one with the butt of his gun.

"Nice to see you finally joined the party," Vex beamed.

"I couldn't let you have all the fun now, could I?" Skulduggery replied.

"Fletcher is in the Infirmary with some other wounded," Tanith said. "China and some of the Cleavers are protecting it."

"Is the Gaol secure?" Valkyrie asked.

"It is now. Detective Cole and some of the other staff have rounded up most of the escaped prisoners and shut them in their cells again," Vex said.

"Who are the remaining escapees?" Skulduggery asked.

"Argent Bright and Requiem Jones. Maylen Dark is Argent's sister. She freed both of them and they're trying to get to the armour as we speak." Vex's expression was grave.

"And Ghastly? Where is he?" Valkyrie asked.

"In the lower levels trying to stop Requiem with the rest of the Cleavers. There are so many Infected here. We were trying to get to them when we were waylaid by these guys," Tanith explained.

"We'd better get down there then. Everybody stay quiet and keep your eyes on the corners," Skulduggery instructed. They followed him through the corridors, dealing with the few Infected they came across with relative ease. "This is it," Skulduggery said to Valkyrie in a soft voice. "The old Sanctuary starts here, and the armour is in the centre. If things go badly I want you to run. Do you understand me? I want you to run as far and as fast as you can."

"I understand."

"How come she gets to run and we get to stay and die?" Tanith asked with an arched eyebrow.

"It's a long story," Valkyrie answered. "But it ends in mass destruction if I stay."

"Ah. Fair enough." Tanith turned to Vex. "If things go badly you make sure Valkyrie is able to get away alive, alright?"

"No problem," he grinned. "Now are we gonna stand out here chatting or are we gonna go in there and help our friend?"

"Let's go," Skulduggery said. They ducked through the doors and broke into a jog, heading for where Skulduggery knew the armour would be. As they drew close they saw the evidence of fighting. There were bullet holes and scorch marks along almost every wall. As they reached the central chamber they split into pairs and stuck to the walls. Valkyrie was dismayed to see the larger container was already open and the sigils were down. The Cleavers stationed there were slain, and while many Infected lay dead, there were an equal number of sorcerers among them.

"Ghastly don't!" Tanith called out as Ghastly finished dismantling the last security measures around the box. Valkyrie watched as his hands jerked and his movements faltered.

"Tanith get back. It isn't Ghastly that's in control. Requiem is forcing him."

"How nice of you to join us," a familiar voice boomed as a figure stepped forwards. He gripped the back of Ghastly's head and slammed it into the wooden box. Ghastly slumped to the ground, immediately unconscious. Tanith snarled but didn't move towards him. Requiem reached the dais, flanked by Argent and Maylen on either side. Several more Infected followed them, growling at the four sorcerers facing them.

"Requiem, Argent, it's time to go back to your cells. Maylen Dark, you're under arrest." Skulduggery's confidence impressed Valkyrie as he levelled his gun at them.

"Ah, Detective Pleasant. Just the man I wanted to see." Requiem's smile was pure evil.

oO0Oo


	21. Chapter 21

**_Requiem: Chapter Twenty One..._****_Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed and favourited this fic, I appreciate it so much! Here's the next chapter :)_**

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oO0Oo

"Funny," Skulduggery said, cocking his head. "You're the _last_ person I wanted to see."

"Is it really a good idea to taunt the man that can force you to open that box?"

"It's about as good an idea as you taunting the person that's going to arrest you and throw you back in the Gaol." Requiem threw back his head and laughed as Argent and Maylen grinned. Ghastly groaned and rolled onto his back, blinking up at the ceiling for a moment before struggling to his feet. He stumbled to Tanith's side and she gripped his shoulder to steady him.

"I'm not going back in a cell. In fact, you're going to walk over there and open that box for me. If you don't I'll kill your friends and make you. How does that sound?"

"Honestly? That sounds terrible. I much prefer my idea. Now be a good boy and put your shackles on." Requiem grinned and Maylen launched herself forwards, a curved knife in each hand. She slashed at Skulduggery and he skipped back a step, narrowly avoiding the wicked blades slicing his suit open. He responded with and elbow to her ribs and a palm shot to her face as Valkyrie faced off against Argent. He snarled at her, his steps lithe and measured as they circled one another. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tanith and Ghastly engage the Infected while Vex went for Argent.

"We have a score to settle, you and I," Argent warned. "You didn't die when I wanted you to. You need to pay for that."

"You attacked my mother and sister and then you tried to kill me." Valkyrie spun her scythe carefully. "If anybody will be paying for it today, it's you." Argent lunged and Valkyrie feinted left then skipped to the right and jumped, slamming a boot across his jaw. He staggered and recovered quickly, and his Vampire speed kept him away from her attacks after that. He stepped around her feints and slipped out of holds before they were even complete, evading her with ease. Every so often his hand would snake out to slap her across the face, inciting her anger. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to goad her into making a stupid decision and then he planned to kill her. She snarled as his palm cracked across her face again, her cheek stinging hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, but she kept her training with Tanith in mind. She waited and she watched and she endured the slapping twice more. On the third attempt at a slap she swung the wicked blade and took off his hand. He howled and screamed and clutched his bleeding stump in horror, stumbling away. Valkyrie followed him. She twirled and went low, sweeping his legs from beneath him with the scythe and continuing her spin as his back hit the floor. Her boot connected with his jaw and then she smacked him between the eyes with the end of the staff. He went still and she turned away from his unconscious body.

Skulduggery and Maylen were locked in a deadly dance. She'd lost her knives and he'd lost his gun and they were kicking the hell out of each other. Tanith and Ghastly were back to back, turning slowly as they beat down Infected, protecting each other where they could. Vex was sticking close to Requiem, stopping him from using his ability by distracting him with quick jabs against his ribs. Valkyrie jumped in to help him, striking Requiem between the shoulder blades with her boot. She didn't see the Infected coming after Vex until it was too late. It grabbed at him and dragged him back as Requiem gave himself enough room to manoeuvre. He glared at Valkyrie and suddenly her body wasn't hers anymore. He moved her limbs like a puppet master. She raised the scythe above her head as Vex kicked and struggled, but he couldn't break the Infected's grip. She was going to gut him against her will. As the scythe reached its peak she felt the Neceomancy ring on her finger. She dragged the blackness up from inside her and let it explode outwards, catching Requiem and staggering him enough to break his hold. She adjusted her stance as the scythe came down and slashed the Infected, opening a deep cut across its face. It shrieked and wheeled away and Vex punched it so hard it hit the ground and stopped moving.

"Nice," he grinned. Valkyrie shrugged and ducked under Requiem's swinging fist before slamming her shoulder into his chest. He staggered so she spun and bounced the staff of the scythe off of his knee cap. Requiem howled and ducked under the counter swing, avoiding the woven razor whizzing towards his head. Vex went to help Ghastly and Tanith as Skulduggery kicked Maylen away and launched himself at Requiem. The other Vampire snarled and snatched her knives off the ground as Skulduggery snapped his palm and took Requiem off his feet. Valkyrie intercepted the female Vampire as she attempted to attack Skulduggery, raising the staff of her scythe to deflect the deadly curved blades.

"You can't help him," Maylen hissed. "Requiem will make him open the box. And when he does the armour will be unleashed and Requiem will be in control of one of the most powerful objects in existence."

"Skulduggery won't let that happen."

"He'll be powerless when Requiem dons the armour. Nobody will be able to stop him." Maylen lunged and Valkyrie ducked and kicked and Maylen fell. She scrambled to her feet and Valkyrie turned as the Vampire ran at her. Maylen hit Valkyrie's hips. Val twisted and Maylen flipped, but before she could hit the ground she managed to reverse the hold and threw Valkyrie across the room. The scythe clattered to the floor and she hit the wall hard, feeling her ribs splinter. She gasped and dragged herself to her feet as the Vampire advanced.

"You think Requiem is going to wear the armour?" Valkyrie asked, spitting blood. "He really didn't tell you anything did he?"

"Shut it, meat bag," Maylen snarled. She whirled and her knife barely missed Valkyrie's cheek as she twisted out of the way. The Vampire grabbed the back of Valkyrie's jacket, intending to pull her in and slit her throat, so Valkyrie shrugged out of it and kicked at Maylen's knee. She went down with a pained yelp and Val managed to get to her feet, lashing three hard kicks into the fallen woman's ribs. Maylen grabbed her ankle and twisted and Valkyrie cried out as the ligaments screamed and wrenched. She staggered back, unable to put her full weight on her newly injured foot. Maylen leapt and slashed and swung and sliced and Valkyrie covered up, sustaining many cuts on her arms without her jacket to protect her. Blood ran down the back of her hands as she continued to step around Maylen's advances, barely managing to stay ahead of the onslaught. One of the knives opened a slit across her collar, and it was only the quick step back she took that stopped her head from being separated from her shoulders. She ran and rolled, her ribs and ankle screaming as her hands found her scythe. In a desperate move she swung and turned and the scythe hit something solid and stopped. Maylen looked down at the woven razor buried in her stomach and protruding from her back. Valkyrie yanked it free, swallowing the bile rising in her throat as she kicked the woman to the ground with her good foot. Maylen Dark died a moment later.

Before she could dwell on the fact that she'd killed someone else she turned back to the fight. Vex was battling alongside Skulduggery to try and contain Requiem, but even as she watched, Vex was compromised and he turned on Skulduggery. Ghastly and Tanith were doing well, and Cleavers had joined them to protect their Elder. She decided to help Skulduggery, gritting her teeth against the pain. She smacked Requiem in the face with the flat of the scythe blade and Vex staggered as he regained control of himself. Val swung again and Requiem grabbed her weapon and twisted it, forcing her to her knees before slamming a fist into her jaw and a boot into her side. Her ribs screamed and she cried out as another one broke. Skulduggery was flung back as the staff arced and took him off his feet, continuing its swing to shatter Vex's eye socket. He dropped to the ground in a heap and Skulduggery cursed. Requiem kicked Valkyrie in the head before she could recover and turned his dangerous gaze on the skeleton detective, tossing the scythe away.

"No," Valkyrie whispered, spitting blood.

"Run," Skulduggery answered. She tried to grab Requiem's legs but he growled and kicked her again, the tip of his boot catching her on the chin and snapping her head back. She thudded against the floor, white lights bursting in front of her eyes. She watched as the scene played out in slow motion. Skulduggery's hand raised and he snapped at the air, sending a wall of it rushing towards his companions and the Infected against his will, flattening all of them. Valkyrie tried to move but her body failed her. Another wall of air sent the fallen bodies rolling across the room, ensuring they wouldn't get back up to interrupt.

"Where's your arrogance now, Skulduggery? Where's your cocky wit?"

"I'm sure it's around here somewhere."

"Silence!" Skulduggery grunted but stopped speaking. "Good boy. Now _fetch_." Valkyrie's heart thundered and her vision swam as Skulduggery began walking. She could see him fighting it every step of the way, and yet still he walked. He knelt before the wooden box. "Open it."

"...No." Skulduggery's voice was warped as he fought against Requiem's control. The yellow eyed man stalked forwards and gripped Skulduggery's shoulder and the skeleton grunted and slumped.

"Skulduggery," Valkyrie whimpered. Tears mixed with the blood on her face. It was happening. The vision was happening. She looked down at herself. Her arms were bare and bloodied, her ankle was hurt and her ribs groaned with every breath.

"Open the box," Requiem demanded. Skulduggery reached out, hesitated, and then Requiem's grip tightened and the skeleton pressed the symbol. The energy coursed through him and he grunted in pain. The box clicked open and Requiem's grin grew wide as he lifted the lid and saw the contents. "Now, to ensure I can maintain control there is something I must do." Valkyrie watched helplessly as he rolled back his sleeve to show a tattoo. It looked like another Sigil. He tapped it and it began to glow the same yellow as his eyes, and a second later the same symbol appeared on his palm. He returned his gaze to Skulduggery, pressing his palm against the skeleton's forehead. Skulduggery stiffened and gasped as the symbol transferred and burned itself into his skull. "You will obey me, skeleton."

"Yes," Skulduggery answered, his voice trembling.

"You will put on the armour." Skulduggery stood and reached into the box, lifting a black mask from within. His hands shook as he looked down at it. "At last," Requiem breathed, and Skulduggery put on the mask. He reached in again and pulled put the chest plate, fastening it in place. Blackness writhed around him and sunk into his bones, dragging him back to his knees as Requiem laughed.

Lord Vile stood.

Valkyrie ran. Her ribs screamed and her ankle throbbed and bloodloss made her dizzy but she ran anyway. She skidded round corners and jumped over bodies as she found the Sanctuary exit. She burst into the streets of Roarhaven and turned left, slipping and hitting the concrete hard but getting back up and limping on immediately. She had to get away from people. If Vile found her while still in the city hundreds would die. Over the months she'd spent with Skulduggery she'd learned enough about Roarhaven City to know there was an industrial estate on its border. If she could at least make it there she could draw the fight away from the public. She ignored the curious gazes of passers by and forced herself onwards, sticking to alleys and backstreets where she could.

She could see the industrial estate in the distance when he found her. Her feet were dragged from under her by shadows and she hit the ground heavily, fresh blood welling in her mouth. She'd almost made it, but she wasn't fast enough.

"Run, damn it!" She screamed at a bewildered woman and child as they stared. The noise seemed to snap them out of it because she hurried away, dragging the child with her. Lord Vile stepped out of the shadows in front of Val and she crawled backwards, her aching limbs screaming at her. "I know you're in there," she said. "I know you can regain control of yourself. You've done it before."

"Stand." His voice was rasping and distorted thanks to the mask. His armour seemed to reshape itself to his needs. In the vision it had been scaled and sharp. Now it was smooth and plain, each panel interlocking with the next to move like liquid. Valkyrie stumbled to her feet, almost falling on her injured ankle but managing to remain steady.

"I know you won't hurt me." Lord Vile cocked his head.

"You speak to me as though I am your friend. I am not him, girl."

"I know you aren't. I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to _him_."

"Requiem has ordered me to kill you. I do not like being controlled."

"But you won't kill me, will you?"

"Perhaps not." His head tilted. "There is someone inside you that calls to me. It is _her_ that I want."

"You can't speak to her. I won't let you." She squared her shoulders and glared at him.

"What makes you think you have a choice? We are the same, you and I. Two halves existing separately. An equal desire to destroy, to maim and conquer."

"I'm not like you."

"I am not talking to _you_." She could hear the amusement in his voice as he used her own retort on her.

"I won't let her out."

"You don't have a choice." He lunged and grabbed her throat, lifting her from the ground like she weighed nothing. Valkyrie kicked and struggled as she fought for breath. The blackness forced itself inside her, scraping her throat as it pooled in her lungs and turned her insides to ice. He was snuffing her out, cooling the flame that ignited her until it sputtered and died and allowed the darkness through. She could _feel_ her clawing her way to the surface, desperate for freedom. Valkyrie fought with all she had, pushing at the air, throwing fireballs and snapping shadows at him, but he deflected everything without even trying. Valkyrie felt tears begin to escape again as she choked on shadows and the light went out. She was falling, falling in darkness. And then she was gone.

oO0Oo


	22. Chapter 22

**_Requiem: Chapter Twenty Two..._**

**_On special request for Kaz because cliffhangers are a killer, here is the next chapter sooner than expected!_**

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oO0Oo

"It's good to be free." Darquesse stretched and grinned broadly, eyeing up her opponent with an arched brow. "Well hey there, tall, dark and scary. What made you decide you want to die today?"

"Darquesse. Welcome."

"Wait a minute, I know what happens next. You and I destroy everything don't we?" She remembered Valkyrie's dream and the visions. "Which means you're here to beg me to kill Requiem."

"I do not beg."

"Hmm. So what's this then?"

"I'm intrigued by you."

"Why?"

"Can't you feel it?"

"Yeah yeah, we're fated to destroy each other and all that crap." She crossed her legs in the air, suspending herself in front of him with her magic. "Premonitions and visions are boring. The very act of knowing about the future _changes_ the future." She shot him a wicked smile. "What's to stop me killing you right here and now?"

"You won't."

"Why won't I?"

"Because there's no fun in it. If I know anything at all about you, it's that you can't resist a chance to test your limits." Vile's head tilted as he watched her. "I am restricted while I am being controlled. Release me and we can fulfill our destiny properly."

"How do you know what I find fun?"

"Because you are like me. You like a challenge."

"Now _that_ I agree with." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Although I still don't understand what makes you think you could kill me." A wave of shadow hit her full force, sizzling her skin from her bones. She took a moment to feel mildly surprised before she laughed and her skin healed itself. Dark hair sprouted from her head as her eyelids grew back and nerve endings reformed. "Alright, fair enough. So I kill Requiem and then we have a good old fashioned throw down?"

"Once he is killed I will have full control of myself." She felt Vile smile beneath his mask. "And then we will see which of us is the strongest."

"I'll be right back." Darquesse stepped into the shadows and stepped out of them behind Requiem. He didn't notice her arrival. He was engrossed in messing with a symbol on his arm. She watched him with contempt, this arrogant, vaguely irritating man that assumed he had the right to control a creature of immense power and intelligence. Her lip curled in disgust. "Fancy thinking you're capable of controlling somebody as powerful as Lord Vile, and still being stupid enough not to watch your own back," she mused. Requiem stiffened and rose to his feet, whirling to face her.

"Cain, why aren't you dead?"

"I'm not Valkyrie."

"Don't play games with me, girl." She narrowed her eyes and flicked her wrist and his arm bent the wrong way with a loud snap. He screamed and clutched the twisted limb.

"I'm not playing games. My name is Darquesse, and Lord Vile called me here to kill you."

"Lord Vile is under _my_ control," Requiem panted. "He cannot defy me."

"How simple-minded you are to think somebody like you could ever command a being capable of reversing death itself." She waved her hand again and his left leg buckled, the bone twisting in several places. She smiled as blood began to stain his clothes. He screamed and hit the ground, glaring at her with his yellow eyes. She felt the tug of his ability and she smiled. "Your little trick doesn't work on me, Requiem. You're too weak to influence me while trying to control Vile."

"That may be true, but I'm not too weak to make him destroy you." He clenched his fist and a moment later Vile appeared beside him, stepping out of the darkness. "Kill her!" Vile watched him, his head tilting for a moment, but he made no move to destroy her. "I said kill her! You will obey me!"

"I will do no such thing. I cannot harm you, but I will not obey you. Your control was established over Skulduggery Pleasant. You established no such control over _me_."

"The symbol is on _your_ skull, so you must obey!" Requiem's snarl grew desperate, his eyes darting between the two of them. Darquesse watched with an amused smile as Lord Vile surveyed the twisted man with cool detachment.

"The symbol stops me from harming you and limits my control over my own magic, but it does not allow you to use me. You designed it for Skulduggery, not for me."

"You're the same person. It makes no difference!" Requiem's teeth were gritted against the pain, the words hissing out between them like a snake. He tried dragging himself away but his shattered arm twisted and his eyes bulged against the pain.

"Curious. I have met many men who believe they know more than others. I have never met any as self-obsessed or as spectacularly incorrect as you. I am not Skulduggery Pleasant, and he is not me."

"I'm getting bored over here," Darquesse called. "I'm going to kill you now."

"You don't have to do this. Together we can rule the mortals and the sorcerers," Requiem said quickly, changing tactic as beads of sweat began to roll down his face.

"We could do that without you," Darquesse shrugged. "But the fact is we don't _want_ to. I have no interest in ruling anyone. I want to _destroy_, not to rule."

"But...but why would you want to destroy the world? What does that give you?"

"A challenge," she grinned, and then she waved her hand and snapped his neck. "There, I've killed him."

"Thank you." Vile reached up and removed his mask and Darquesse watched as the Sigil on his skull faded to nothing. When it was gone the shadows around him seemed to thicken and coil as the full force of his power returned. She breathed it in, letting it wash over her. The pure dark energy rolling off of him in great waves filled her lungs and sent a tingle through her.

"I don't think thanks are necessary since I'm going to kill you." She stepped up to him and cocked her head curiously, gazing into his hollow eye sockets. "You really are interesting, Vile." He stayed silent, watching her. "It would be a shame to kill such a unique creature."

"You talk of me as though I am an exhibit in a museum."

"Oh no, you're _far_ more exciting that that." She drifted closer, her feet leaving the ground to bring herself level with him. "The power you wield is..._electric_." She kissed him, and he tilted his head to let her. The power that hung around him hit her full force and ignited the magic inside her. It crashed over them both like a tidal wave, and she smiled against his mouth before pulling away and spreading her arms wide. Her hair billowed around her as shadows snapped and writhed, rising from her skin like smoke.

"Beautiful," Lord Vile breathed, and then he put his mask back on and launched himself at her. The impact was like a freight train crashing into her torso, and she laughed as her ribs crunched and healed again immediately. She sent a fist of shadows down to pummel him and he responded by trying to crush her. Chunks of mortar and rubble shook themselves loose as the room around them began to curmble under the force of their fighting. She laughed again and slipped out of the constricting shadows, smashing through the ceiling and bursting into the air, skimming the tops of buildings with glee. It felt good to be free and unrestricted by the other girl, the one with morals and feelings and family. Darquesse frowned as an image of Alice flashed up in front of her, shaking it off quickly. Valkyrie was gone and she would stay that way.

Vile slammed into her again and her spine cracked. She felt it heal and turned and punched him in the face with a fist of shadows that sent him sailing backwards. He tossed a lasso of blackness out and it caught her ankle and swung her out of the sky, hurling her towards the ground. She let herself fall and at the last second she flipped and landed on her feet, the impact creating a crater in the tarmac as a shockwave of shadow spread out around her, shattering windows on homes and cars on both sides of the street. Someone screamed and people ran away. Darquesse laughed, drinking in the fear and the adrenaline that floated off them as they fled. Vile touched down gracefully in front of her and a wall of darkness rose behind him as tall as a house, and then it crested like an angry wave on the ocean and it surrounded her and she could feel it burning her skin again. She walked through it even as the civilians in the vicinity screamed and died, and she soaked up the death and the destruction and she slammed her burning fist into Vile's chest plate. Her extraordinary strength lent force to the blow and he shot backwards. She watched, fascinated as he flipped in the air and landed on his feet, skidding back slightly before he straightened up. She ran and snapped a boot across his face hard enough to snap the neck of an ordinary man.

Another flash of the skeleton cooking eggs in the kitchen distracted Darquesse and she blinked and shook it off as Vile's armoured boots hit her face. She spat teeth as she hit the ground, swallowing blood. Before she was even on her feet new teeth were sprouting from her gums and she jumped and kicked him across the jaw again before attacking him with spikes of shadow. They solidified and shimmered under the streetlights before streaking across the space towards the armoured man, intent on running him through. Darkness of his own rose up to deflect the black spears and the pair leapt into the air as they traded vicious blows, striking each other hard enough for the sounds to echo through the skies like thunder. He blocked each of her strikes with ease, matching her movements and mocking her. She should've known hand to hand combat would put him at an advantage; he taught her most of what she knew. She growled and propelled herself away from him, expecting him to give chase. When he did she grinned and turned abruptly, catching a tight hold of his wrist. Darquesse threw Vile through the wall of an office building and out the other side and followed him through the hole, unmindful of the people she scattered as she shot through the ruined building. He stuck to the wall of the next building and tore a chunk of bricks free, launching it back at her. She dodged and chuckled as the bricks shattered inside the building they'd just come through, causing yet more screams of pain and terror. The carnage was beautiful.

She made a move to attack him and saw the smiling faces of Melissa and Desmond Edgley and she faltered. Vile saw his chance. He grabbed her jaw and crushed it in his hand before slamming a knee into her chest and grinding her into the ground. She let the darkness explode outwards around her and flung him away as her injuries healed themselves. She could feel the other girl now, clawing her way back. Valkyrie went from nothing to a nagging sensation in the back of her brain. If the distractions kept happening Lord Vile would kill her all because of the stupid girl trying to regain control. She fought to squash the bug in her brain even as she got back to her feet.

"I had expected more from you," Vile rasped as she flew towards him. She ignored him and kicked his chest plate hard enough to dent it. The dent popped back out immediately but she was already hurling solid spears of shadow at him. They collided with him hard enough to knock him several metres back, though none of them pierced him. Another image of Valkyrie's family flashed up and Darquesse screwed her eyes shut, howling in anger.

"If you keep doing this he'll kill us both," she snarled, drawing on the energy inside her and unleashing a stream of blackness at Vile. He sidestepped and it missed him, and his head cocked as he realised she wasn't talking to him. She squashed Valkyrie down as far as she could and focussed on the fight, dodging the stream of blackness Lord Vile directed at her. His tactics changed and his shots became careful and measured, striking her at critical points, and still Valkyrie tried to force herself to the forefront, sending image after image of family and of the detective and her friends to blur Darquesse's vision. She was getting a headache. It was gnawing at her temples and distracting her.

A column of blackness slammed into her chest and her air choked off suddenly as it looped through her and back, sucking the life from her. When it let go she dropped to the ground like a lead weight, crashing into the tarmac hard enough to crack it. She blinked up at the sky dumbfounded. Her lungs were punctured. Her spine was shattered. The back of her skull was crushed and and at least three of her limbs were splintered. She tried to heal but it was slow. She tried to stand and she couldn't. She could dimly make out the figure of Lord Vile floating down beside her. He knelt and shadows created a curtain around them, shielding them from view of the public that still scurried through the scarred streets. He took off his mask and bent over her as she stared at him, wide-eyed and panting.

"Come back to me," he said softly, in a voice as smooth as honey.

oO0Oo

Her eyes cracked open and the light made her close them again. Her body burned, the air scraping her lungs as it whistled through them. She tried to look around again, gritting her teeth against the harsh fluorescent glow. Slowly, her vision focussed in on the hospital room around her.

"You're awake," said a soft voice. Valkyrie felt gloved fingers clutching her hand and she turned to see her partner sitting beside her.

"Skulduggery?" Her voice sounded as though it hadn't been used for a very long time. "What happened?"

"Oh, thank God," he said quietly, his shoulders sagging. "I thought I'd lost you to..._her_."

"You took off your mask. You beat Vile." She remembered him kneeling over her, taking off his mask and speaking softly.

"Hush," he said gently. "Don't get over excited. You're still delicate."

"Where am I?"

"The Sanctuary Infirmary."

"And Requiem?"

"Dead."

"I killed him." She heard the phantom snap of his bones in her ears.

"Not you. Darquesse," the skeleton replied, keeping his voice low.

"I belong in the Gaol," she said softly, closing her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks. He reached out and wiped them away gently.

"I know what you're feeling," he told her. "I've lived with it for a long time. But you have to understand that it wasn't _you_ that did any of it. Darquesse is an unknown entity, something entirely new." He sighed. "As far as I can tell, nobody on the streets at the time got a clear look at her. All they saw was a woman who could manipulate shadows fighting a man in armour."

"You mean nobody recognised us?"

"Only you and I know the truth." He squeezed her fingers gently. "I know you feel like you need to run to the authorities and tell them the truth, but _you didn't do this_. It was _you_ that stopped it going further."

"How did you beat Vile?" She kept her question soft, matching his quiet tone to avoid being overheard by anybody outside the curtain surrounding them.

"I saw you trying to fight her and I knew I could bring you back if I could beat him. I'd beaten Vile before. I knew I could do it again and once I was back in control I threw everything I had at her. Hurting Darquesse weakened her enough to let you back through." He looked away. "It was horrible, but I did it. She healed you enough to survive and then she blacked out. I had no idea when you finally woke up if it would be you or if it would still be her."

"It's me." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "If you're sure nobody knows it was me then I won't say anything. But we have to find a way to stop this from happening again."

"We will, I promise."

"How can you promise that?"

"Because I know we can fix this." She wished she could feel the same sense of conviction he did.

"I hope you're right."

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oO0Oo

_**Author's note: This chapter has been slightly re-written in the hope of making it seem less rushed. Previously I had problems finding a suitable ending, but after reading through it I've decided this is the right place. There is one more chapter to be released of Requiem to give it a smoother finish. The sequel will be called 'Aftermath' and it's in the works to be published very soon! Thank you to xSiarahx for helping me rediscover why I returned to FanFiction in the first place :)**_


	23. Chapter 23

**_Requiem: Chapter Twenty Three..._**

**_Here is the final chapter of this Fic, I hope you all like it and I'm sorry about the wait. The end of chapter twenty two has been edited slightly and some of the fighting has been fleshed out for you :)_**

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oO0Oo

Valkyrie stared out at the sea as it crashed against Haggard pier. She'd stood there so many times over the years, looking out at the ocean and letting her mind empty. She came to the pier to clear her thoughts and to have time to herself. Today her thoughts refused to quieten down. They were as restless and disturbed as the waves she stood above.

"I thought I'd find you here." Skulduggery's voice was warm as he approached her with his hands in his pockets, the brim of his hat pulled low over his eyes. He wore the facade and he felt solid and comforting as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Melissa said you liked to come here a lot as a child."

"I used to leap over the rocks and into the sea," she answered, hugging her arms close to her body. "I can't stop seeing their faces."

"I know," he murmured. In the few days since the fight with Lord Vile, Valkyrie had woken each night with nightmares. The faces of the innocent bystanders she'd injured and killed stood front and centre, screaming at her and begging for their lives. She simply smiled and slit their throats, basking in the blood and the death. She'd wake in a cold sweat, the memory of Darquesse laughing at the carnage fresh in her mind.

"I can't stand to be free. I took their lives."

"It wasn't you, you know that."

"It was my hands. It was my body. Whether I like it or not, Darquesse is inside me. I need to find a way to stop her getting out. I can't rely on Lord Vile to make an appearance every time she pushes me back."

"I think the two of them meeting again should be avoided at all costs." He tilted his head the way he did when he knew something she didn't.

"What?"

"An inkling of an idea that may or may not turn out to be fruitful," he replied. "There's an artefact designed to seal a person's true power. It was said to be created by the Ancients to help them defeat the Faceless Ones." He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to her. On the paper were reprints of two paintings. The first depicted an image of the Ancients forcing a crown onto the head of a Faceless one. The second showed the Faceless One on its knees before the Ancients, the crown causing it to shrink and wither.

"What's the downside if we find it?"

"We don't know how far the limitations will go. It may remove your magic completely."

"If that's what it takes to stop me becoming her again then I'll do it." She clenched her fists. "I'll do anything to stop it."

"Well, alright then. I'll dig around for more information about the artefact and then we can go and find it."

"Skulduggery?" He turned to look at her. "What happens if it _does_ remove my magic? Will I have to stop being an Arbiter?"

"No," he answered with a smile. "Your Uncle Gordon never had an ounce of magic in him and he offered me more help during his life than most mages. You have his sharp mind and Tanith and I taught you how to fight. Magic isn't everything, Valkyrie."

"So we'll still be partners?"

"Always." He bent his head to kiss her gently. They were interrupted by the ping of Valkyrie's mobile phone in her jacket pocket. She frowned and pulled it out. The words on the screen froze her blood and made her fingers tremble.

"Uh, Skul?" She showed him the message, nausea rolling through her.

"Ah. Well, that can't be good." She stared at the five words with wide eyes, burning them into her memory as the sea crashed against the pier and the world turned around her like nothing was wrong. She sucked in deep breaths, trying to calm her racing pulse as she slipped the phone back inside her jacket. Even when it was away she could still see those six words illuminated in front of her eyes.

_I know who you really are._

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**oO0Oo**

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my work, I hope I did Derek Landy an ounce of justice. The sequel 'Aftermath' is in the works to be released very soon. I hope you'll do me the honour of reading on.**


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